Musically Inspired
by Ambrosia Rush
Summary: A goodie bag of unrelated one-shots inspired by songs. All kinds of ships, all kinds of genres.
1. Body Work NJ&GC

Pairing: Nell Jones/ G Callen

Nell Jones walked down the hall with her tablet in hand, she needed Callen to sign off on the electronic reports. Sam had pointed her in the direction of the gym and that was where she found him blowing off steam. He was so into the work out that he didn't hear her enter, so she made sure the gym door shut quietly.

It wasn't the first time she had watched, nor the first time she found herself unable to look away. She was captivated. She watched him as his feet moved swiftly, his hands taped up and bunched into fists. He kept his arms up before jabbing in a punch on the heavy bag, followed by three more in quick succession. She'd been to gyms before, she'd seen men take out their frustrations on punching bags before but... it was different here... different with him.

She watched the muscles bunch under his clingy sweat covered grey shirt, there was just something about him. _It's just a crush_, she told herself. He struck out and she was in awe of the power, the strength of him. _Just a crush,_ she told herself again trying to make herself believe it.

He moved quickly laying in a few more good, solid punches and her heart rate kicked up. Who knew watching a man beat his frustrations out could be such a turn on? She took a few steps forward to get a better look, but the movement drew his attention. He caught the heavy bag between his two hands on the back swing before he turned to her. "Hey Nell."

She swallowed hard. "Hey Callen," she replied holding up her tablet to explain why she was there. "I need your signature on these files."

"Sure," he replied picking up his towel and wiping off his face before he studied the flushed look of the intelligence analyst. He tilted his head. "How long were you waiting on me? You could have just said something."

"I...uh..." the last thing she wanted was to admit she'd been staring at him. "Curiosity," she fumbled. She held up a fist of her own. "I don't think I could throw a punch quite like you."

"Dear God no," he replied stepping around to her right side and taking her hand between his opening her fist. She reminded herself to breathe through his touch, his hand went over the back of hers his four fingers pushed hers into a fist and then he pushed the thumb on top. "You throw a punch with your thumb on the inside and you'll break it."

"Thumb on the outside, got it," she said with a nod as he took the pen off the top of the tablet his piercing blue eyes scanning and then signing at the bottom before passing it back over to her. "I should... get back to ops," she said wanting to run for cover before she further embarrassed herself, she could feel the blush warming her face.

"Alright," Callen responded with a curious expression. "I'll see you later."

"Yeah," she nodded backing away. "See you later." She scurried from the gym and leaned against the wall just outside of it when she realized her knees were knocking. "This school girl crush has got to stop," she whispered to herself. She straightened up and couldn't help but look back through the narrow window on the door to see him back at work hitting the heavy bag.


	2. Turn It Down KB&MD

Pairing: Kensi Blye/ Martin Deeks

She can't stand the way he smiles when she's angry.

She can't stand the way he knows every pair of jeans she owns.

She can't stand the way he was hospitalized and yet still saved her.

She can't stand the way he sets the coffee cup on her desk as he walks past, low fat milk, two sugars.

She can't stand the way he shows up at her house when she's had a bad day.

She can't stand the way he flirts shamelessly with her, especially in front of the guys.

She can't stand the way he sings along with the radio.

She can't stand the way he used his body to shield hers.

She can't stand the way he let out a cry of pain his body pressing against hers as the bullet ripped through his shoulder

She can't stand the way he took out his gun, took aim and eliminated the threat.

She can't stand the way he looked at her, his hand cupping her face.

She can't stand the way he asked, 'are you alright?'

She can't stand the way he held tightly to her hand as they wheeled him into the hospital, or how reluctant he was to let go.

She can't stand the way she can't help but smile when he smiles at her, even when she'd rather stay mad.

She can't stand the way she knows exactly which pairs of jeans garner the most attention from her partner.

She can't stand the way she failed her partner, he was injured and yet he came to her rescue causing himself more pain and longer recovery time.

She can't stand the way she takes a sip of her coffee knowing he made it just right, every time.

She can't stand the way she has grown dependent on his visits, and finds comfort in him after a bad day.

She can't stand the way she brushes off his shameless flirting wanting it to become something more when she knows it can't.

She can't stand the way she turns on the radio and has hundreds of songs that remind her of him.

She can't stand the way she had missed the shooter.

She can't stand the way she felt as pain ripped through her, though the bullet ripped through him.

She can't stand the way she froze knowing he was injured, and he had to take out the threat himself.

She can't stand the way she looked into his eyes and saw that he was more worried about her than he was himself.

She can't stand the way she failed her partner, why is he asking if she's okay- after all, he's the injured one.

She can't stand the way she stands there as they wheel him into surgery, her hand feeling empty without his.

She can't stand the way she hides her feelings, burries them with the illusions, the lies of their job.

She can't stand the way she can't admit that she loves him.


	3. Ready When You Are OC&OC

Pairing: Noah Faraday/ Sierra Sicotti

She can't figure it out. Why he's there, day after day. There had been some agents who'd come around, not many, most brought in a card, or flowers or one of those goofy get-well-soon balloons. They'd come in once, done their duty, cleared their conscience. But then there was Noah. He came everyday unless he was undercover, in which case he sent word with Hetty to let her know that.

There is a gentle rap on her door and she knows it's quiet because he doesn't want to wake her if she's actually asleep. The door opens and he pokes his head in. "You're awake," he notes a smile gracing his handsome features.

"Yep," she responds gripping the ends of the long sleeved shirt she wore and pulled it down trying to cover the deep, angry red ligature marks on her wrists.

"I brought food," he said coming in and she looks him over worried he might have been injured in the two days he'd been away. He looks the same though, his blond hair clipped neatly, product keeping every hair in place, his intelligent deep green eyes flicked around the room taking in everything. He wore a suit in deep charcoal, blue shirt underneath, a paisley midnight blue tie, and black loafers finishing his professional look. "Real food," he tempts and teases.

She inhales deeply enjoying the intoxicating aroma. She wishes that she could just leave the hospital already. She was fine... fine-ish. She looks to her fingers, three nails left on her right side, not that the men who had tortured her had suddenly found mercy, nor had she given them what they wanted... no, her body had been so bloody they probably hadn't seen the nails still there. She finds her hands are shaking, the ligature marks showing as the sleeves ride up.

"It's chicken noodle," he says loudly gaining her attention, his face a hint of anger and she knows it's not directed at her, but the men who did this to her.

"You're a good friend, Noah," she says softly.

He smiles. "And I make good soup," he hands her a travel bowl and a spoon, careful to not actually touch her. "Go on, try it."

She takes a spoonful into her mouth and enjoys the warmth, the flavour. "Is this from a can?"

"I'm insulted," Noah responds with a hint of a grin.

"Is that a yes?" she asks raising a fair eyebrow.

"It's in a travel container now," he responds sheepishly.

She laughs for the first time in a three weeks. His phone rings and he answers it, a few seconds into the conversation he's frowning. "Yeah, okay. I'll be there soon."

"You've got a case?"

"Yeah, Lydia and I have the dead body," he says with a grimace. "Joy of joys." He stands and looks her over. "I'll see you tomorrow Sierra."

"Why?" It's out of her mouth before she can stop it, but now that she's asked, she needs the answer. "Why do you still come here to see me?"

He stares at her for a long moment, but she doesn't feel uncomfortable under his gaze. They had been friends since he had started at NCIS: OSP. But she'd been friends with lots of the agents, and yet, he was the only one who came in day after day. "Because I love you," he finally responds with a smile. "Eat your soup," he calls over his shoulder as he leaves.

She stares at the door. She's been through a lot in three weeks. Taken, tortured, raped, her partner shot and killed in front of her when she refused to betray her country and give them the information they wanted, information that could have killed hundreds, even thousands. She was broken beyond repair... and yet... still he loved her. She can't help but smile, and know that true to his word, he'll be back tomorrow.


	4. Sharp Dressed Man GC&MD&SH

Characters: G Callen/ Martin Deeks/Sam Hanna

Dressed in fancy suits that cost more than they made in a year at NCIS, the three men entered the building of the charity ball they were infiltrating as aliases. Deeks fussed with his tie. "Is it just me, or does do these things feel like nooses?"

"I imagine it'll do the trick if you get anything on the suit and want an easy way out before Hetty finds you," Callen responded dryly.

"She wouldn't really fillet our skin with a dull letter opener... would she?" the liaison detective asked worriedly.

Neither of the senior agents answered they had their eyes on the prize. "Come on, Deeks. Try not to worry about it," Sam said. "Odds are her letter opener would be sharp."

"That doesn't make me feel better," Deeks growled following the two men into the incredible ballroom.

High ceilings, gorgeous chandeliers, walls painted in a snow pure white. Everyone was dressed to the nines, and the three undercover agents fit right in. It didn't take long before the men were separated, mingling with the crowd.

_Ladies. Ladies. Ladies._

"I think I'm going to talk to Hetty about this suit," Deeks said when the three men met up at the end of the night. "I want to keep it." Out of his suit pocket he pulled out a handful of papers.

"Are those numbers?" Sam asked astonished.

"Oh yeah, ladies love a sharp dressed man. I don't mean to brag, but I'm breathtaking in a suit."

Callen narrowed his eyes at him. "That's a little conceited."

"A lot conceited," Sam corrected.

Deeks held up the papers. "Well: Miranda, Stacy, Ashleigh, Laura, Eva-"

"We get it Deeks," Sam snapped annoyed.

"They disagree with you two," the detective continued with a wide grin.

"You only got five?" Callen asked sounding uninterested.

"Eight," Deeks corrected. "Sam cut me off."

"Only eight," Callen stuck his hand into his suit and pulled out a pile of folded papers. "Eleven."

"What?" Deeks was shocked.

"I wouldn't brag too soon there G," Sam said and pointed at his partner's neck. "Rachel, or Kimberly, or Tanya or whoever you were with got lipstick on the collar of your shirt."

"What?" Callen blanched gripping the collar of his shirt trying to twist it to see.

Deeks laughed at the magenta half kiss print on the shirt. "Your tie can double as a noose," the detective informed cheekily.

Callen narrowed his eyes forming an icy gaze he directed at Deeks.

"Come on," Sam said ushering them back to where they had parked. "Lets get back to the office before it sets."


	5. Closing Time KD&MD&Team

Pairing: Kensi Blye/ Martin Deeks + Team.

The drunker they become, the better singers they start to think they are. Callen and Eric have their arms over each other's shoulders as they stand at the bar swaying to the music as they belt out the lyrics. The bartender doesn't seem worried, in fact he has seemed bemused at the antics of the various team members for much of the night.

Kensi sips on her beer, and leans against her partner, his arms wrapping around her waist. "How you doing there, partner?" He asks leaning in by her ear, his warm breath tickles against her skin.

"Awesome," she responds finishing off her beer.

"I think, I think I need to get a... umm... cab," Nell said standing, swaying and giggling as Sam grabbed her arm to steady her.

"I'll hail you one," he told her.

"Last call!" The bartender shouted and a series of 'awww's' followed the announcement.

People started to move toward the door, but Kensi didn't want to move. She watched as Eric started to look for his coat and Callen gave them a wave, still singing to the song that had already ended- though it appeared he could only remember the course. She waved back and he stumbled before getting his footing back. "Think he's going to be okay?" Kensi asked Deeks.

"Sam's hailing the cabs, he'll make sure Callen gets one," Deeks moved away a step, his arm moving over her shoulder.

She smiled, she knew exactly who she wanted to take her home. She leaned into him as he lead her to the door. She knew she was safe with her partner, trusted that he'd ensure she got back to her place. He helped her into his car, and even did up her seatbelt before shutting the door and walking around to the drivers side.

"Thanks Deeks," she said with a drunken grin.

"You're welcome," replied the sober detective.

"You have fluffy hair."

He chuckled. "So I've heard."

"I like it."

"Thanks."


	6. No Light No Light NJ&GC

Pairing: Nell Jones/ G Callen

She walked to the desk where the agent was sitting. She reached out, took his hand and gave it a pull. He slowly lifted his head and looked at her. She swallowed hard. The case had been hard on everyone, but Callen had been the one undercover. He'd been right there when the men had opened the door to the missing children.

But it was too late.

Through Callen's button cam, they'd all seen for themselves that three of the missing girls were still missing and the rest... blood, gore. Nell shuddered at the thought. She knew that it was one thing to see it in the ops centre, another all together for Callen who had stood there with the men who had murdered those girls... he still had to play his part. He had spent the entire day with those monsters, and had come back seemingly fine...but... she knew better.

"Come on," she pulled his arm again. "Lets get ice cream."

"Ice cream?" he said raising an eyebrow but not moving from his seat.

"Yeah," she said dropping his hand. "I know a wonderful gelato place, my treat."

He stared at her seeing through her offer for ice cream as what it was. She was worried about his mental health after the last case. He put on a smile with the ease of years as an undercover agent. "I'm _fine_ Nell," he assured, but Nell didn't believe it. His eyes were flat, devoid of the false emotion he was trying to convince her of. "Why don't you ask Eric, I'm sure he'd love to get ice cream."

"He's gone home for the night," Nell said. "And if you won't go with me..." she took a step back. "I guess I'll just have to walk there, all by myself, this late at night..."

He shook his head. "Okay, okay," he replied standing while shaking his head disbelieving of how quick she'd convinced him to accompany her. "I'll go."


	7. Rescue Me MR&OC

Pairing: Mike Renko/ Angela Mercer

When it came time for any team to have to play a married couple, it automatically went to the male/female partnership. In this case, it went to Michael Renko and his volatile partner Angela Mercer. As it turned out, living with her was even more difficult than working with her.

She had been angry when he'd left for the meeting, she said something was up, she didn't want to stay at the house, she wanted to tail him. But he was the Senior Agent in Charge of the team, and senior agent in their partnership, the decision went to him.

She could be spotted leaving, she could blow their cover, so he decided that she'd play housewife and stay home.

And maybe that had been a mistake.

Mike Renko hated to admit when he was wrong.

He entered the house NCIS had picked up for the case, the one that was fully furnished and he was sharing with Angela. She was sitting in the living room in the chair closest to the fireplace she had roaring, her long copper hair down for a change. She flipped the page slowly and froze a second before looking up finally realizing he was there.

Her steely grey eyes lock on his face. "Michael," the word fell from her lips so softly he thought he might just have imagined it.

"You were right," he said gritting his teeth. "It was a set up."

She stood up, the book forgotten and fell from her lap. "You look like hell, Renko," she said through her teeth.

She looked angry and he couldn't understand why. "Come on," he turned to look in the mirror. "It's not... that bad..." But it was, his temple was split open and bleeding profusely in a manner that indicated he probably shouldn't have driven back. His right eye was already turning a vicious shade of purple. And that was just his face. He was pretty sure he had a broken rib, and he'd thrown a vicious left hook and he was still feeling it through his wrist, he wondered if he sprained it.

Angela walked past him. "Come on," she said leading him to the bathroom where she dug out a medical kit from under the sink and set it on the counter. Though her back was turned to him he could see her in the mirror, and more importantly what she was trying to hide. There was worry in her features, tears in her eyes that she was refusing to let fall.

"You okay?" he asked her.

"Fine," she growled at him kicking the lid of the toilet down. "Sit."

"I'm not as trained as your dog," he said with a grin.

"How can you be grinning at a time like this," she nearly yelled at him. Anger, that was how she dealt with just about everything, after all, it was easier to be angry than show emotional vulnerability.

"I'm fine Ange," he insisted.

"Bull shit," she said looking at him. "Maybe I should call Cooper, he was a field medic."

"Ange, I'm fine. A little beat up, nothing serious."

She pointed to the toilet again. "Sit down."

"You're bossy," he stated but did as she said while she put on gloves and got out a few medical supplies from the kit. "You do realize I'm the senior agent."

"Yes," she responded walking over to him and with out warning put the cloth with the cleaner to his open wound. He hissed and tried to move but she caught his shoulder and held him still going so far as to put her knee on his upper thigh to ensure he stayed sitting. "Look where your last 'senior agent decision' got you."

She dabbed a few more times and he cursed, hissed and muttered. "You're enjoying this aren't you?" he asked.

"No," she replied in her familiar no-nonsense tone. "I don't enjoy seeing you hurt." She turned to get some plastic sutures to keep the wound closed. "If I had been there, maybe I could have done something to prevent this."

He shrugged his shoulders, he was kind of glad she wasn't there... she wasn't the greatest at hand-to-hand thought she more than made up for it with her marksmanship but they needed these men alive.

"Were you burned?"

"Na, just knocked around," he pointed to his temple. "Crowbar."

She shook her head. "No, I meant do they know you're an agent?"

"Oh, _that _burned," Renko replied. "No, no, they just didn't want to hear my opinion."

"No one wants to hear your opinion Renko," she replied dryly and with a straight face. He couldn't tell if she was being mean, or teasing him, she was hard to read. She looked over at him and frowned. "They really worked you over," she whispered worriedly. "Maybe I should call Cooper... he'd be able to better figure out this..." she gestured to the entirety of him.

"I've taken enough beatings to know I'll live. I think I messed up my wrist a bit though," he admitted lifting his left arm.

She looked to the medical kit and then back to Renko. "Splint?"

"The wrap should be fine," he replied as she got it out and started to unwind it. Her fingers were like ice against his skin and considering the fiery ache in his arm he didn't mind. She carefully, but firmly wrapped the stretchy material around and around giving more support to his injured wrist. She held it while she reached back for the clasp to hold it in place. "Thanks," he said.

"Yeah well... for everything else," she picked up a bottle and shook it.

"Asprin," they said at the same time. He smiled and took the bottle, ah, the life of an agent. But hey, he'd survived the day and sometimes that was all you can ask for.


	8. Please KB&MD

Pairing: Martin Deeks/ Kensi Blye

She didn't like it.

And he knew she didn't like it.

"It'll only be for a little while," he said breaking the silence as he sat beside her on her couch in her house, watching her reality television. "Two weeks, maybe three," he said before taking a bit of one of the burgers he'd brought over from her favourite fast food place. After all, he figured he could take all the help he could get.

"You'll be with LAPD," she said bitterly before taking a swig of her beer. Her favourite kind, he'd brought a six pack along with the burgers and extra crispy fries. She knew he was trying to calm her, pacify her with her favourites but she was worried. He'd be going undercover for the LAPD infiltrating a dangerous group of arms dealers, alone. She didn't like it. Not one bit. The case was too dangerous, he shouldn't be going in alone! She was his partner. It was her job, her duty, her obligation to watch his back. It was a job, a duty and an obligation she took with a sense of determination. She did her best everyday to make sure that he would be going home safe and sound.

He nudged her with his elbow, a smile upon his face. "Come on Kens, you should be happy. I won't be around to tap my pen when I do paperwork, or change your tunes in the car, or talk, and talk and talk and-"

She elbowed him in the gut. "I get it. You talk a lot."

"Exactly!" he replied taking a sip of his beer before he put it back down on the coffee table. "Think of it as a vacation!"

She frowned and looked at her burger like perhaps it had some 'Dr. Phil' advice for her. "But then you won't be around to bring me coffee or donuts," she replied.

"Really? That's all you'll miss about me?" He put his hand over his heart. "I'm offended."

She turned to look at him, his faux hurt expression. "I won't have your back, and you won't be there to have mine and I don't like it, okay!" She turned back to her burger and took a big angry bite.

He let out a sigh and put his burger down and turned to face her completely. She was ignoring him though, her eyes glued to the television screen as she continued to eat. He gently took the burger from one hand, the beer from the other and set them both down on the table. He took her hands in his and she turned her dark gaze his way.

"Just incase I don't come back," he started and immediately bit the inside of his cheek knowing he'd said the wrong thing. Her eyes narrowed, and there was pain welling in the deep dark depths of her eyes. Without thinking, no longer dancing around their 'thing' he leaned in and kissed her lightly, once, twice, and then deeper the third time when she didn't push him away. Her arms wrapped around his neck and his fingertips flirted with the hem of her shirt. He broke the kiss, leaning his forehead against hers. He searched for words, something to comfort her, but for once he was at a loss for words.

"Come back," she insisted. "When the mission is over," her voice a soft whisper that made their conversation seem more intimate. "Come back to me."

"I will," he promised.

"And I'll be waiting," she said her brown eyes meeting his deep blue ones.


	9. Don't Die On Me Tonight ? & Team

Pairing: ? + Team

"We all die alone," they remembered her saying.

_Beep._

Other than the machines it's silent in the room.

_Beep._

Deeks says nothing, stays silent.

_Beep._

Callen shifts in his seat.

_Beep._

Sam jots down an answer on the newspaper's crossword.

_Beep._

Nell goes through her small, organized purse to pull out a tissue.

_Beep. _

Eric's fingers grip the chair so tightly his knuckles are white.

_Beep. _

_Beep. _

_Beep._

Deeks rotates his neck.

_Beep. _

Callen rubs his eyes tiredly.

_Beep._

Sam stares blankly at the page before him.

_Beep._

The door opens and Kensi comes in with coffee.

_Beep._

Nell helps her hand them out, and takes a sip of her own.

_Beep._

Eric thanks her verbally, breaking the three hour long silence in the room.

_Beep._

Kensi sighs and nods.

_Beep. _

The team sits vigil.

_Beep._

Because they'd never let her die alone.


	10. Save Tonight GC&NJ

Pairing: G Callen/ Nell Jones

She knew that it was the last night they would have for months. He was going to Russia following an old case that haunted him. He'd be the NCIS agent in the joint task force, and while he said he'd try to stay in contact with her, they both knew how slim the chances would be that he'd actually be able to. She'd been kept late at work, come home to her apartment and found his shoes on the mat, his keys on the peg.

She took off her flats and hung her purse up by the door. She walked in following the gentle glow her apartment had taken on. She found him still walking around lighting candles. It was romantic and incredibly unexpected. He was dressed as he had been at work, a blue collared shirt tucked into his dark grey jeans. He looked unreal lighting little tea-lights with his lighter. "Looks like a fire hazard," she said playfully.

The candlelight illuminated his smile, he set the tea-light down and turned to her. "Trust me, I'm a professional."

"Professional? At lighting candles? You moonlighting as a gigolo?"

He tipped his head back and laughed. "I think I'd have to be considerably younger to be a gigolo."

"Ehh, you still got your looks," she replied teasingly.

He closed the space between them in only a few steps and his lips were on hers in a sudden passionate assault which she met with the same eagerness, her fingers gripping in his shirt pulling him closer. He pulled away before placing a few more lighter, soft kisses on her lips. "Wine?" he asked stepping back.

"Yeah, sure," she responded trying to clear the fog currently hazing her brain. He pulled a bottle from a bucket of ice and poured two glasses. "Looks like you planned ahead."

He shrugged and passed her, her glass. "I'm going tomorrow," he whispered in an apprehensive manner. "But tonight is ours."

They ended up on the couch, him in the corner of the couch, her back against his front. They sat talking, basking in the candlelight, drinking their wine. She bit her lip and he knew why she'd grown silent. He kissed the column of her neck. "I'll come back Nell," he promised her. "I'm resilient," he teased his breath cool against where he had moments ago left warm kisses.

She nodded but she said nothing afraid that if she spoke the tickle in her throat would become a full fledge sob, and she'd end up crying and she didn't need to do that to him. This was their night, their last night for a long time. It hurt to think about it. She turned to him, took his wine glass from his hand and put both down on the table.

"Nell," he whispered.

"I love you," she responded quickly forcing the words out before the emotions suffocated her ability to speak.

He leaned forward and kissed her, soft, warm, comforting. "And I love you," he responded quietly, candlelight flickering in his blue eyes. He held her in his arms and both held on to the time they had left.


	11. Iris NJ&EB

Pairing: Eric Beale/ Nell Jones

He kisses her, and there is such an overwhelming _rightness_ about it. It is as if, at this exact point in time he is where he should to be, doing what he should be. Her mouth is soft, pliant, and warm, she tastes like wild cherries and just a hint of champagne. The feel of her against him, her hand on his cheek, the other she has in his, their fingers entwined. It is a defining moment for them.

They both break away before it gets to far. After all, they are in a church, in front of fifty of their nearest and dearest. She's in a retro white dress with a birdcage veil, and he's in a suit- flip flops were non-negotiable. They both look at their hands intertwined, a band of gold on each of their ring fingers. They share a smile and for the first time turn to their loved ones as Mr and Mrs Beale.


	12. Blow Away GC&KB

Pairing: Kensi Blye/ G Callen

Neither were built for relationships. Neither excelled at letting others in. Their relationship was one that was doomed from the beginning. It was built only on the physical, not that they didn't care about one another, they did, just neither enough to get past their own respective scars and closets full of personal demons.

They should have left things as just friends. They'd been good in the friend zone. They couldn't help it though, it wasn't a conscientious decision. Neither tallied up a pros and cons list. They'd been playing a couple for a cover... and then the lines had blurred. Where did Kendra end and Kensi begin? Where did Geoffrey end and G begin? They were a mess, and in a way they really did honestly, truly love one another. It just wasn't enough.

They sat next to each other on the couch, the mission having come to an end, and it also signified the end of them. He looked over at her, and she over at him. She smiled sadly and he let out a sigh. She kissed his cheek and stood. "I'll see you Monday."

"Monday," he repeated with a nod.

Everything would go back to the way it was, but neither would forget that they might just have let the best thing they'd ever had, _go_.


	13. Cosmic Love SH&OC

Pairing: Sam Hanna/Michelle Hanna

They keep to separate sides of the bed. Both lay on their backs, stair blankly toward the ceiling though it's so dark in their room they can't see an inch before their faces. The silence in their room is suffocating. It's him. It's her. It's the darkness.

"Sam," her voice is sad, and maybe a little fearful. "You need to talk about it."

It makes him feel like even more of a failure. It's his fault she's so worried, fearful of what she might hear. "I'm fine, Mitch," he insists, but even to his own ears it sounds flat, lifeless.

"Sam," her tone is patient, kind. She got 'the visit,' a Navy man in a nice suit telling her that her husband has been labelled missing in action. "What happened... in Bosnia?"

_Bosnia._

One word, it's all it takes.

He's back in the darkness, his lungs contracting and he feels like he's breathing through a straw.

She doesn't need light, she finds his hand just fine. He says nothing for a long time. She wants to speak but keeps quiet. She knows her husband. _Patience,_ she reminds herself. The words are no more than whispers when they finally do come out, and she strains to hear. Her heart clenches painfully as she listens to him described his wounded comrade. She shuts her eyes tightly as he tells her about the matches. Her hand clenches in the bed sheet as he tells her about breathing through the hose, desperate for breath.

"I didn't think I'd be coming home," he admits finally with such sadness that only then does her hand in his tighten, and his grips hers back.

They are quiet for a moment, her processing and he trying to put it all back in it's box.

She know's who he is, Sam Hanna, SEAL, husband, father, son. She knows the scars he has on the outside. She knows the one he harbors on the inside. And she navigates them, blindly, in the dark, on faith. For if he was trapped in the darkness of the things he had seen, the things he had done, than she, Michelle Hanna, banker, wife, mother, daughter, would be right beside him.


	14. If I Die Young KB&Team

Characters: Kensi Blye + Team

Kensi takes off her shoes and enjoys the feel of the grass under her feet. It had been a long time since she'd enjoyed such a simple thing. She follows the boys through the grass. They look so dashing in their suits. The white dress sways around her knees and she feels pretty, girly, young again.

They converge with the many. Renko is there, he looks angry, she wants to cheer him up, make him smile, but the group is too big, she can't get over to where he is. Instead she stays close to her partner, her team. Nell comes over to the boys her eyes are all red and she's shaking, Eric puts an arm over her shoulder, whispers words of comfort.

"Stop being so sad guys," she tells them as she looks to the sky. "It's so beautiful out, and we're all off work, that's a bonus."

Callen is stoic and Sam places a hand on Deeks that makes the detective sway. Renko made his way over and joins them, he still looks angry teeth clenched together. In attempt to comfort him she places her hand on his arm, he shudders. She finally gets a look at the front of her partner, the tears in his blue eyes.

"Oh Marty," she whispers moving forward to stand before him.

She touches the side of her partner's face and it seems to break him a sob escaping his lips, a word, a phrase, she misses it in the blur the first time, but it's okay, because he keeps on repeating it and she catches it on the third time. "It's all my fault, it's all my fault, it's all my fault."

"It's not your fault," both Kensi and Sam say at the same time.

"She didn't deserve to go out like this," Renko said angrily. "Don't feed him that 'when it's your time' crap. Kensi's dead, it isn't your fault, but she's dead. End of fucking story."

Callen slowly turned to look at Renko. "Keep it down, do not disrespect her final resting place or so help me, I'll make sure you're six feet under."

"Enough," Kensi whispered wishing she could stop their fighting. "Please, stop." She knew how Renko got when he was upset, better to be angry than to crumple with the weight of grief.

Nell was sobbing loudly in Eric's arms. Callen and Renko stood side by side Callen seemingly at peace, but she knew he'd grieve privately. Renko was radiating tension and anger. Sam a well of empathy and sadness, and Deeks... guilt, grief and loneliness that pained her heart.

She placed her hand over his heart. "I'm right here partner," she whispered as she felt the pull to move forward, to leave the world behind. She'd seen enough. They'd move on, move past it, Sam would make sure Deeks was alright. Eric would take care of Nell. Callen and Renko would find their own respective ways to move on. She kept her hand on Deeks's heart. "Right here," she whispered once more. "Look at it this way, now your clumsy ass has a guardian angel looking out for you, pretty spiffy huh?" She wished he could hear her, she wished she could say a proper goodbye, but knew that was just the way life... well death went. "I love you," she finally admitted before the pull became too much and she fell back into the light.


	15. Hardest Of Hearts GC&NJ

Pairing: G Callen/ Nell Jones

It was a blur of skin, the taste of wine, the scent of the vanilla candles.

It was his lips on hers, passionate, hot, demanding.

It was the way she moved, the way she cried out his name, the way she tasted.

It was a moment, a second, a minute, an hour.

It was warmth of two bodies laying next to each other, exhausted.

It was a forest of hazel meeting the deep sea of blue.

It was the way she was leaving.

It was the way he was staying.

It was the way she touched him, tears welling in her eyes.

It was the way he kissed her as if to say, 'goodbye.'


	16. Make You Smile OC&OC

Pairing: Kimi Niigata/ Ryan Cooper

Kimi Niigata didn't do anything she didn't excel at. She believed you should never half-ass anything. So when Kimi got angry, she did it so well that experienced and hardened agents gave her a wide berth. Currently, her anger was aimed at one Special Agent Ryan Cooper. He'd completely ignored her over the ear piece, he'd gone into a building despite her warnings that it was rigged.

He'd said, _'don't worry so much, I'll be fine.' _

"Don't worry so much," she muttered under her breath with an angrily curled lip. "I'll be fine." With an angry press of her lips she sat before the glow of her computer. She'd watched from that very spot as the building Cooper had been in, had exploded. **Exploded. **"I'll be fine," she mocked again angrily. There had been a moment of tears, of sheer panic, where she froze and it seemed like the entire world had stood still.

And then she'd heard his voice. _'I love the scent of explosives in the morning,'_ he sounded sarcastic but unhurt.

She heard him, and she knew it was him. It was the sound of his boots, the pacing between confident strides. She paid attention... okay so she paid a lot of attention to him. She'd been warned of his notorious flirty nature by the other technicians when she'd joined NCIS: OSP, but when she'd been placed on the same team as him she got to discover more behind the mask. After all, she did spend nearly everyday in close quarters with him, it was only natural to be curious, to ask questions and he answered some, deflected others. And so she had a little crush... what girl wouldn't? Not only was he good looking in that alpha male kind of way that had women automatically fawning over him, the unruly dark hair, dark eyes, and when he chose to smile. Mush. She became mush. He also had the personality to back his looks up, sure he was a flirt, but he also was kind, compassionate, funny.

None of this was going to save him from the wrath of Kimi Akio Niigata though. Determined she turned as his footsteps stopped behind her. She opened her mouth to give him a good lecture but the words died off her tongue.

He was licking a vanilla ice cream cone, and holding out a green tea ice cream cone for her. "You don't even want to know how many traffic laws I had to break to get it here before it started to melt," he said with a little grin.

She really wanted to be angry, but green tea ice cream was her kryptonite. "We can't eat in ops," she said finally when she found her voice.

He smiled. "No rebellion in you, is there?" He let out a dramatic sigh and put an arm over her. She the subtle scent of leather from his jacket, smoke from the explosives, and something spicy from an cologne she figured. Once out of ops he put the ice cream in her hand, his fingers over hers curling it around the cone. "Come on, eat it. I know you love it."

She stared at him. "Maybe I don't like this kind."

"You don't keep three pints of one flavour if ice cream in your freezer if you don't love it," Cooper responded before biting off a bit of his cone.

"You remember what I had in my freezer?" Kimi asked raising an eyebrow.

Cooper shrugged. "You never know what, or when something will come in handy."

Kimi felt her resolve crack and shatter. "I'm eating it, because it's starting to melt," Kimi said taking her first blissful lick. "But don't think you're off the hook!"

He stared at her and smiled. "You got some ice cream on your nose," he told her but before she could do anything he kissed her nose.

She couldn't help it. She smiled. "I did not have ice cream on my nose. I would have felt it."

"I assure you, you did," he said with a straight face. "I was just being helpful."

"You couldn't have been helpful with a napkin?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

He held his ice cream cone with both hands. "My hands are full, it just wasn't an option."

She laughed at his terrible logic, and despite wanting to stay mad, give him a good harsh talking to, she couldn't. It was impossible for her to stay mad at Ryan Cooper... it was starting to make her reconsider her kryptonite.


	17. If We Ever Meet Again KB&MD

Pairing: Kensi Blye/Martin Deeks

There is something about him.

She isn't sure what it is.

She's aware of him.

She sets off his temper, no, his defences.

Jason Wyler.

There is just... something about him.

He doesn't fit in with the other MMA fighters.

And yet... there is strength, agility, power behind every move.

She's bothered that it all entices her.

She is Kensi Marie Blye, enticing packaging doesn't distract her from the job.

Laptop, not password protected.

A smile flirts with her face.

The door opens and she's on her feet with the speed and grace of years of training.

There he is.

Again.

Taking her breath away.

Muddling her ability to think.

Damn him!

She lies, photographs, the naughty kind.

He looks interested.

She smiles.

He invades her personal space.

He looks good.

He even smells good.

And he's looking down at her like he's the big bad wolf and she's little red.

The big bad wolf is outsmarted by the huntsman... okay Callen pretending to be a taxi driver.

She's back in the office.

She's stuck on Wyler.

Stuck. Smitten. _Whatever. _

There is just something about him.

There's a spark.

A cosmic connection.

Her hands curl into fists.

She's obviously read too many romance novels recently.

Something is different about him.

She knows the investigation will make them cross paths again.

Her gut tells her that when they meet again... nothing will be the same.

And she was right.

She does meet him again... kind of.

Jason Wyler- scratch that.

Martin Deeks- LAPD Detective.

He smiles at her.

And in a simple moment, her entire life changed.


	18. I Want You OC&OC

Pairing: Noah Faraday/ Sierra Sicotti

Even as she sits around a table with friends at the LAte Night Lounge, she feels the urge to run. Her psychologist told her she needed to get out more and reconnect with her friends, so she had forced herself to come out when the offer came up.

The lounge was big, and wasn't too busy so the spacing between her and others wasn't the issue. No one was trying to touch her, or taking conversation in a lewd direction- right now it was a hot debate about sports teams. She takes a look around, everyone seems calm. A couple is laughing, A group of friends are drinking and talking animatedly. A middle aged couple sways on the dance floor, and the waitress is professional walking around in three inch heels without sloshing a single drink.

She doesn't spot anyone that is intimidating, no fights about to break out, no one arguing with the exception of her own table. Renko is quite insistent that his team, the New Orleans Saints, would be taking down Nassir's team, The Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday's game. Each laid a fifty on the table and Kensi takes it into holding and would give it to the winner of the bet later in the week.

There was nothing to explain her discomfort. Except... her eyes look back to the bar where Faraday is talking to a pretty waitress, blonde hair, blue eyes, little black shorts and a little black shirt.

Sierra knew she was beautiful, a woman like her had heard it her entire life, and for a time she'd used it as another weapon in her arsenal. And then the worst happened. Now she found that she was jealous of the waitress, not for looks, but because that waitress was _whole, _mind body and soul- something Sierra no longer was.

The waitress laughed and she touched his arm, bare skin to skin contact and it had Sierra's hands curling into fists as emotions welled up inside her. It wasn't fair, she knew, she and Faraday weren't together, never had been together, she had no claim over him, no right to this overwhelming surge of jealousy. She watches as he smiles, pushes back some of his blonde hair, watches his lips move as he speaks to the waitress. The waitress smiles and flicks back some of her blonde hair and gestures with her hands as she speaks.

_What are they talking about? _She wonders. The waitress smiles, writes something on a napkin and sticks it in his hand biting down on her bottom lip, looking up at him with her blue eyes. She figures that it's the waitresses name and number maybe a little drawn heart meant to be endearing and sweet. _Will he call her? _The though is unwanted but it's there none the less. _Will he invite her to dinner? Laugh at her jokes? _Her mind runs away with her. _He will walk her to her door at the end of it_, she knows this because she knows him, he'd always walk a lady to the door. _Will she invite him in? She'd be stupid not too. _Her thoughts are causing rage inside of her. She doesn't want to think about him with the waitress. She doesn't want to think about him with anyone. It's not fair, she knows this. He is her friend. She wants him to be happy._ Will she kiss him? _Her brain continues to taunt her. _Lead him to her room? Do all the things with him you can't even let yourself think about?_

She grabs her wallet from the table and stands before shoving it in the masculine wallet into the back of her jeans. She can't stay there anymore. She can't watch him flirt with some waitress. She can't let her mind keep wandering. Can't let it keep taunting her this way.

"You heading out?" Kensi asks noticing her first.

"Yeah," Sierra responds. "I have to be at the garage early tomorrow." It wasn't exactly a lie, it depended on how one defined the word 'early.'

Renko stands. "I'll get you a cab."

"I drove, and I only had a half a beer, I'm fine, Mike."

"Then I'll walk you to your car," he insists. A few years ago she would have levelled him for suggesting that she couldn't manage on her own. Now, she was just kind of grateful that she wouldn't be walking across the dark parking lot on her own.

She looks back at Faraday, but he's still into the waitress not paying any attention to her. With pain in her heart she turns and walks with Renko out of the lounge. The night is cool and she's grateful, her mind takes up bitching about the unseasonable dip in temperature and leaves her feelings for Faraday alone.

"You okay?" Renko asks as they get to her car.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just tired," Sierra responds quickly.

He studies her and she stares back. He might be an agent, but she use to be one, she knows how to put her walls up, shut her expressions off. "Alright, drive safe," he says and waits for her to unlock and get in. He taps the hood of car. "Buckle up!" he calls before he starts to walk back.

She does just that and turns on the car. Cranking the heat before pulling out. She's on the road five minutes before the thoughts come back with the warmth._ Heated kisses, discarded clothing, heat, demand, skin. _Taking deep breaths in she pulls over to the side of the road trying to keep herself together. Her grip on the wheel tightens turning her knuckles white. She lays her forehead against the wheel. _You're so broken_. Her eyes shut tightly trying to shove her emotions back down into their little box. _So broken_.


	19. White Sparrows GC&LM

Pairing: G Callen/ Lara Macy

He knows why he goes down to the incinerator room. He's looking to be close to her, and in the new office there are no lingering memories of her here. But an incinerator room... the heat, the scent of burnt paper, those are familiar. Those, he knows, will bring back the memories. That's what he wants.

He wants to hear her laughter one more time. He wants to see that slow, half smile come upon her face. He wants to see the rigid control of her ponytail, and he wants to give it a pull when no one else is around, because he knows if he does she'll turn on him give him a glare and tell him, 'not at work, Callen.'

He's never been very good with rules.

He closes the door to the incinerator room behind him. He props a chair up against the handle, he doesn't want to be disturbed. He wants a moment to remember. He wants a moment to grieve. He wants a moment to let her go.

_She smiles at him as she tosses in another file. "Something I can do for you Agent Callen?" she asks with a slightly raised eyebrow. _

"_You know," he replies grabbing the folders from her hand, tossing them all in and shutting the incinerator door. "Goes faster if you just toss them all in." _

"_Well," she smiles. "Now what will I do now that you've cleared me of some time." _

"_I can think of a few things," he responds before his lips claim hers._

He shuts his eyes, the scent of burnt paper, the heat, it's the same as the other office. He wills the sights, sounds, feel, taste, smell of the memories to return to him.

"_Callen," her voice sharp. "What are you doing?"_

"_Don't worry about it, Mace," he insists. _

"_Christ," she mutters. "That's my third toaster in a month." _

"_Well if you'd just give me the chance to put them together instead of throwing out all the pieces," he responds with out even looking at her as his fingers work on taking her toaster apart. _

"_Well if you wouldn't take them apart in the first place." He hears the heavy clunk of her chunky purse hitting the table, bits of metal rock back and forth before they settle. Next is a wave of her perfume, it's daring, spicy and inviting. He feels her hair along the nape of his neck as she leans over him. "Why do you do this?" she waves her hand over the toaster bits and bobs. _

"_It relaxes me." _

"_Hot baths are relaxing, red wine is relaxing, a hot stone massage is relaxing," she corrected. "This... this is a nightmare." _

_He grabs her hand, relishing the feel of her smooth skin under his calloused fingertips. He gives her a bit of a pull, a playful smirk upon his face. She smiles that half smile he loves right before she kisses him, she's sweet with an edge of mint. "Of course, I forgot that kind of relaxing," she teases pulling on his arm and he's on his feet, his arms around her, kissing her senseless. _

He wipes his cheeks realizing the memory already had him grieving his loss of her. She was gone. Dead. He presses the heel of his palm over his chest. It isn't right. That she's gone. Of all people, why her? She was a good person, sure, sometimes they disagreed on calls, she erred on the side of caution, he was a bit reckless. She was smart. Good. Kind. Honest. Courageous. There were so many things he'd never said to her, that he'd kept to himself, afraid to open up, afraid to loose. He lost anyways. He gives himself a minute, only a minute to cry, to grieve to get the ache out.

Controlled, he pulls himself back together again. He rubs his hands over his face but the overall heat of the room has the tears evaporating. He turns on the incinerator just so he can watch the fire flicker through the glass.

She's gone.

She's dead.

He stands straight, takes in a deep breath. "Bye Mace." And when he leaves the room, he leaves her as just another ghost in his past.


	20. Last Call Casualty KB&NG

Pairing: Nathaniel Getz/ Kensi Blye

He saggared out of the bar after finishing the beer he'd ordered at last call. There was a chill in the early morning air, the moon hung in the sky but with all the lights it was impossible to see the stars. He tripped, falling off the sidewalk and onto the unforgiving cement of the parking lot. He let out a curse, and then a miserable laugh. He didn't bother to even try to get up, he'd been drinking for hours and wasn't entirely sure how he hadn't passed out yet. He knew the only reason the bartender hadn't cut him off, was because he kept paying for drinks and the bar was just barely staying afloat.

He could only think of her. Maybe it was the bar he'd chosen, one where they'd spent a night drinking far too much.

Maybe it was the way the bar had played that damn song. The one they both knew, the one that had both of their faces lighting up in pleased recognition. She had started belting out the lyrics in her drunken state, and he had provided a air guitar solo thanks to his inebriation.

Maybe it was the way the bartender had shouted, 'last call!" It brought on the memory of him helping her into her coat, throwing an arm over her shoulder and hailing them a cab, one that they shared, and likely against their intelligent nature, they had both ended up at her place.

He lifted his hip to pull out his phone, still laying in the parking lot. He dialled in the number because he just couldn't help himself. He wanted to hear her voice. Her heavenly voice.

"Yeah," her voice was sleepy and it would have been obvious to him had he been sober that he had woken her. "Wha-da-ya want?" she asked. "It's three in the God damned morning. This better be good."

"It's Nate."

"What do you want, Nate?" she muttered.

"I love you, Kensi."

There was a long moment of silence.

"Are you drunk?" Kensi finally asked, her mind breaking free of it's sleep fog.

"You're such a good friend, Kensi."

She sighed heavily. "You're not drunk," she said. "You're _obliterated _aren't you?"

"I've fallen and I can't get up," he laughed.

There was another long moment of silence that was broken when she swore. "You really mean that, don't you?"

"Pavement is uncomfortable," he noted.

"What bar are you at, Nate?" She asked softly.

"You know the one," he responded.

"Yeah, yeah," she responded, a smarter woman would have told him to get up and call a cab before hanging up. She couldn't do that to him thought. With a sigh she pushed down the blankets and shoved her bare feet into a pair of flats. "I'll be there soon."


	21. Jumper ? & ?

Character: ?/?

The river is low this time of year, he notes as he looks down from the bridge he's standing on. The waves are crashing against the unforgiving limestone boulders that line the bottom.

The sky is dark and angry. The clouds are covering the night sky, a storm is approaching. Thunder cracks and lightning illuminates the sky for a moment.

Despite his rapid heartbeat, the dark feelings inside of him, he can't help but think that the night is beautiful. It's almost poetic in how perfect it is for him.

People are starting to take notice. Cars are stopping along the bridge. His grip tightens on the cable, he shifts his feet on the railing and wavers. He knows that once he jumps, that's it. No turning back now. He wants it to be over. God he just wants it to be over. He can't take it. He's lost so much. Everyone he cares about. How does a man move forward after such an event. Why would a man even want to.

"Hey!" the voice is sharp, male, and unforgiving with his tone.

Taking a moment he looks back, to take in a final scene. Cars are lining the road, bright red tail lights lighting up the bridge. There are people on their cell phones, and he knows they're calling into 911. There are some teenagers filming on their phones, heckling him, urging him to jump. He doesn't need a cheering section, he'll jump. He checks the time on his watch. He'll jump. In two minutes. He'll go out exactly 24 hours after they did... his reason for living.

"Hey!" The voice snaps at him again. Angry he looks for the voice and finds it in a man walking closer.

"Don't come any closer," he yells. "I'll jump!"

"You don't want to jump."

"The hell I don't! You have no idea how I feel!"

The man stops and stares, it's unnerving. "Then tell me," his voice is quiet, but it manages to be louder than the waves, than the crack of thunder, than the heckling of the teenagers, and the voices of the distraught woman talking to the 911 operator.

"My wife, my kids, oh God my kids."

He takes a few steps forward and stands on the ledge of the bridge with him. Startled, the jumper looks to the spectator who's now looking over the edge. He whistles. "A hell of a drop."

"Don't want to screw it up," the jumper responds.

"This will definitely do you in," the strange spectator responds. "It isn't what they would want though. Your wife. Your children. They wouldn't want you to take the swan dive."

"Maybe not," the jumper responds. "But I want to. I... I can't live without them."

"You still have a pulse, you're talking, standing, that ache in your chest that you're feeling, it's all proof that you can live without them."

"Surviving and living are two different things," the jumper argues passionately.

The spectator gives a shrug. "Perhaps... but sometimes, it's worth it to survive, eventually you start to live again."

The jumper disagrees but says nothing as he hears the police sirens in the distance. He checks his watch, seconds away. The spectator notices. "Don't," he says softly.

"Why shouldn't I?"

"Because I once stood on this bridge. It was decades ago now, but... I stood here, thought about it..."

"But you didn't. Someone talked you out of it," the man spat angrily.

"No," the spectator turned piercing blue eyes on him. "I realized there were still people worth living for. Marty. _Please._"

"Callen," Deeks responded tersely.

Callen reached out and grabbed Deeks by the wrist with bruising force. "You jump you'll take me down with you."

"That isn't fair," Deeks ground out.

"Life isn't fair."


	22. Rhythm of Love EB&OC

Pairing: Eric Beale/ Bethany Shaw

"This sucks," Bethany decided with a pout. "I don't want you to go to some conference."

"I have to," Eric replied easily. "It's for work."

"But... then you're going to be gone for your birthday," she complained quietly and he almost laughed.

"It's not your birthday, mine isn't a big deal, Beth."

"Yes it is," she muttered moodily.

Eric shook his head. "Well, lets just treat today like my birthday," he suggested.

She poked at the food on her plate. "I would have taken you out somewhere nice, I wouldn't have made chicken and rice."

"I like your chicken and rice," he complimented.

Her deep blue eyes looked over at him, a pout on her lips. "I would have made you a cake."

"There is ice cream in the freezer," he suggested for dessert.

"It's not the same," she groaned in frustration. "I would have given you your gift."

He smiled cheekily as he reached across the table and placed his hand over hers. "You're my gift."

A little smile appeared on her face and a slight flush pinked her cheeks. She abandoned her plate and her chair to stand so she could kiss him, and _could the woman ever kiss_. Eric was sure that brain cells were dying from processing bliss, but he didn't mind as his hand wrapped up in the long strands of her blonde hair.

"I don't leave until morning," he whispered against her lips.

"Well then," she responded kissing a trail down his neck between words. "Lets make tonight count."


	23. Only You MR&OC

Pairing: Mike Renko/ Angela Mercer

One month into their partnership, Mike Renko knows he's in trouble. He's the Senior Agent-In-Charge and his own partner doesn't listen to him. She's volatile, moody, bitter. She doesn't trust the team, he doesn't even think that she trusts him. They'd endured each others presence at best. For someone who always seems controlled, she's got a vicious temper and took it out on a suspect. Luckily, her hand-to-hand needs serious work and she didn't cause too much damage, but Hetty's now giving him 'the look,' that he knows will be followed by, 'the talk.' He sighs.

Two months into their partnership, Mike Renko knows he's in trouble. They're chest to chest, face to face, arguing. Loudly. Luckily their office is in the back of OSP otherwise they'd have an audience. He'd gone in alone. She didn't like it. 'You don't have to like it,' he'd said to her, after all, she's the junior agent, it was his call to make. 'You're an idiot,' she'd screamed at him poking him hard in the chest. Cooper chose that moment to walk in and the partners broke away from each other.

Three months into their partnership, Mike Renko knows he's in trouble. She senses something off, maybe in the back of her mind the pieces are starting to come together but she's yet to make sense of it all. She even told him, 'it seems... wrong.' Only minutes later does the windshield shatter and he feels the impact of the sniper bullet. He remembers her hands pressing against the wound, her bunched up over shirt becoming soaked with blood. He's not sure, but he could have sworn there were tears in her eyes.

Four months into their partnership, Mike Renko knows he's in trouble. She comes to his house with a big brown bag in her arms. He's perplexed, and she says nothing as she walks by him to his kitchen. She made him dinner. It's an action he finds to be oddly endearing. She didn't stay.

Five months into their partnership, Mike Renko knows he's in trouble. He's back at work, but still on uneven ground with Angela. Despite all they'd been through in such a short partnership, including him getting shot during their third month as partners they still couldn't seem to find common ground. Both are constantly trying to get the upper hand in the situation. Him because he was the Senior Agent, not just in the partnership, but in charge of the team. Her because... well he assumed pride, maybe she was one of those extreme feminists, he had yet to figure her out. She is a mystery and it is driving him nuts. He catches himself watching her, the way she moves, the way she sits so still while she's reading her paper work, the sharp angles of her face, the softness of her lips.

Six months into their partnership, Mike Renko knows he's in trouble. They're undercover, and she's _bad_ at it. He still doesn't know why she's with OSP, she's still shrouded in mystery. Despite her being a bad undercover, the men don't seem to notice. The deal goes off, but they're jumped in the alley way. Apparently the men have decided they want both the goods and the cash. She turns slightly in her step and they're back to back, realizing how out numbered they are.

'Go to the bar they said,' she muttered. 'It'll be fine, they said.'

He shakes his head at her untimely dry humour. He looks to her hand and sees that it's twitching, she wants to pull her gun, and she wants to do it bad. 'I sure do want to see another _sunset_,' he says the safe word and Cooper and Faraday come out to help even the odds. Both Angela and Renko pull their guns simultaneously, and at each other's back they appear harmonious, they look like partners. One man raises his gun just slightly and Angela shoots his knee and then when he drops to it, his shoulder. 'Anyone else?' she asks with a straight face. No one raises their gun. Everyone goes into custody.

For the first time since being partners, things appear to have gone fairly smoothly. She looks over her shoulder, her steely grey eyes locking onto his pale green ones. 'You okay?' she asked.

He nodded. 'You?'

She nods, and for the first time since they'd been partners, she _smiles. _

Yeah. Just like that Mike Renko is in a new kind of trouble.

_He smiles back._


	24. My Little Girl SH&OC&OC

(Thank you conservativegirl for the recommendation!)

Characters: Sam Hanna/ Zoe Hanna/ Michelle Hanna

It's hard for Sam to be away from his family so much. His work is important, he believes in what he's doing and wants to make the world a better place for his two children. But while he's hard at work, his children are growing up fast.

He stands in the doorway, moonlight from the window illuminating the room, and the profile of Zoe's face. Three years old. Feels like yesterday that she had been born, swaddled in a bright pink blanket. He walks over to the window and checks on the lock finding it as it should be, secure. He brushes his hand over her soft curls that she inherited from her mother and kisses her forehead.

It had been a long mission, two weeks he'd been gone and he can't help but stand in the doorway again, watching his daughter sleep. Michelle steps up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head against the back of his shoulder. "Come to bed," she whispers sleepily.

"I'll be there soon," he promises turning to kiss her softly.

Her hands slide away and she returns to their bedroom.

He watches his daughter for a few more minutes in the light glow from the moonlight. "I love you, Zoe," he whispers softly only to find her eyes open a little.

"You're home," she whispers dreamily.

He smiles at her. "Yes, and I'll see you in the morning. I love you."

"Love you more, Daddy," she whispers with a smile as she snuggles into her giant stuffed panda bear and falls back to sleep.


	25. Waking Dream NJ&Team

Characters: Nell Jones + Team

What a peculiar dream.

The grass is long, as she stands it brushes against her finger tips.

The meadow she appears to be in is as long and as wide as she can see.

There are wild flowers of in colours of soft lavender, romantic red, bright orange.

The sky is a soft pink and purple, and oddly stars map the sky, but there are no distinguishable constellations.

She throws her arms out and allows herself to fall back.

The grass becomes a soft bed for her to lay on.

The scent of flowers comes to her.

The stars twinkle overhead.

It's beautiful.

It's peaceful.

She can't think of any reason why she'd want to leave.

::

The respirator is breathing for her.

The sun has gone down, and the stars are twinkling... if you can see past the Los Angeles lights.

The team has come in and out of the room all day.

They all want to be with her, but they also want to find the thugs who put _their Nell _into the coma.

It is only when they found the men.

Only when they interrogated the men.

Only when they were assured those men would be prosecuted, do they all file into the room.

Callen.

Eric.

Kensi.

Sam.

Deeks.

Hetty.

::

The fear returns.

Flashes.

Bruising force as he grabs her wrist.

She closes her eyes before her head is slammed into the brick wall.

She feels the blood and the sky has become dark.

Alley, she's in an alley.

Her head is slammed once more, this time off the ground.

Her purse is ripped from her arm.

Her fingers... they feel numb... she can hardly move them.

She shuts her eyes... and then... she can't open them.

::

"Hey Nell," Callen says softly.

"Come back, rock-star," Eric prompts.

"You're not going to leave me alone with these boys, are you?" Kensi asks, her voice weakly teasing.

"Come on, Nell," Sam encourages. "Someone needs to keep Eric in line."

"Hey Sugar," Deeks says sweetly brushing some hair from her face. "We miss you."

"Miss Jones," Hetty spoke clearly. "Come back to us."

::

The alleyway fades, and she's back laying in the meadow, watching the sky.

The stars are twinkling.

The sky is turning blue, bluer, bluest... it reminds her of something... but the thought won't take form.

She can hear rock music and it seems so very out of place, and yet... oddly soothing.

She studies her hands, they are suddenly nicely manicured... but that isn't the colour she usually chooses... this is far too bold of a red... like... like...

A sense of security surrounds her, and until that moment she didn't realize how at unease she had been.

A smile finds her face, was there a joke, why was she laughing?

The taste of tea lingers on her tongue though she can't remember preparing any.

Faintly, _faintly_ there are memories.

Callen smiles at her, the corners around his eyes, blue as the sky wrinkling slightly.

Eric turns up the music and air guitars while she sings along.

Kensi laughs as they sit side by side in the salon, her nails a bold red.

Sam puts an arm over her shoulder and gives her a grin.

Deeks talks animatedly and she can't help but laugh along with him.

Hetty passes her a hot cup of tea after a long day, and with her, she relaxes.

Home.

Safe.

The dream-scape shatters like shards of glass, the meadow is suddenly gone from beneath her and she's falling, _falling_.

:;

She jerks in the bed and her eyes fly open.

It's like she's fallen into her own body.

She's gasping.

She can't breathe.

"Nell, you need to calm down," Callen's voice is calm, his hands on her shoulders. "There is a breathing tube, you need to stop fighting it Nell," calm soothing.

"It's okay rock-star," Eric's eyes are filled with worry.

"We're all here Nell," Kensi says, her voice soothing. "You're going to be okay, just let the breathing tube do it's job.

She hears Sam call a doctor into the room.

Deeks looks serious. "It's going to be okay," he whispers.

"Welcome back, Miss Jones," Hetty says softly.


	26. Can't Sleep MR&OC

Pairing: Mike Renko/ Angela Mercer

They both have their fair share of nightmares. The things they remember that they'd rather forget. They don't need their subconscious to make things up, they've got plenty of memories that can be far more terrifying, more painful.

Renko had been staying in Angela's place, the third floor of a building she was renovating. The Tony's tire's sign still hung hazardously outside of the previously foreclosed upon building. She left up the signs, and for the most part, her home looked a lot like a closed down tire shop that had been picked clean by scavengers. Benefits were the fact that no one suspected someone lived there, the three door garage was perfect for her three cars and fit her Ducati. The first floor looked exactly as it had when it had been a tire shop- minus merchandise, and the second floor was hidden behind a locked door, the third floor she'd been hard at work in, it was a fully functional apartment. He had his own place to stay, but more often than not, after a case he'd end up going back to her place.

Sometimes he'd help her sand the drywall. Sometimes they'd throw in a pizza and have dinner together. Sometimes what they'd seen that day would have him opening a beer, and her a bottle of red wine, and on those days just so they wouldn't be alone through out the night, he'd stay in the spare room, and she'd go to her room and they'd both shut their doors.

Sometimes, when the nightmares got real tough he'd wake to the door cracking open, and in the dim glow from the hallway nightlight he could make out her silhouette. She'd say nothing. He'd push down the blankets and only then would she come in. The mattress would dip slightly under her weight, and then he'd feel the soft cotton of her sleep set, and her smooth skin as she became entangled around him. He'd hold her tightly.

Some nights when his dreams became to much he'd tap twice on her door. She'd come out of her cocoon of blankets, open the door to see him standing there, she'd take his hand and pull him to her bed, he'd wrap an arm around her waist and pull her close inhaling the familiar scent of her ylang ylang and vanilla shampoo.

And on those nights... they'd both sleep soundly.


	27. Butterfly Kisses GC&NJ&OC

Characters: G Callen/ Nell Jones/ Charlie Callen

_How did this happen?_ He can't help but wonder. When did she grow up? When did she stop being a little girl who he could pick up and twirl around? When did she stop being that teenager who bogged down the phone line? When did she stop being that grad student who always had her nose in a book? How was it that twenty six years had gone by in a blink of an eye? No longer was she a little baby in his arms, a pink blanket, him marvelling at how tiny she was. No, now she was a full grown woman, dressed in a gorgeous white gown, up on a pedestal as her mother adjusts the elbow length veil.

He can't help but stare. It seems so surreal. She's all grown up. His baby girl is all grown up, and it kills him. Their matching blue eyes catch in the mirror and she smiles at him. "How do I look Daddy?"

"Charlie," he responds on a whisper. "You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

"Hey!" His wife says with a playful smile.

"Okay, so you're tied with your mom."

Charlie laughs joyfully. "I'll take it," she responds pushing back a styled deep brown lock of hair. She breaths out. "Almost time."

"I have to get to my seat," Nell says kissing her daughter's cheek and adjusting the veil. "I love you, baby," she whispers and then leaves the room.

Charlie turns to her father. "Ready?"

He nods. Oddly enough, this scares him more than death defying overseas missions with minimal tech support. Today he's going to walk his daughter down the aisle, and he's going to pass her hand to another man. And the man she's marrying is good, (like Nell wouldn't run a background check the second he walked into their daughter's life.) Still...

"You okay Dad?" she asks as they leave the bride room and he leads her down the hallway.

"My baby girl is all grown up," he says sentimentally as they stop outside of the double doors that will lead her to her new life. "You're going to change your name, and..."

"Dad," she whispers fanning her face with her hands. "Don't do it. Don't make me cry," she warned pointing a manicured finger at him.

He gave her a little smile and lifted the veil to kiss her cheek, and by her ear did he whisper: "You'll always be my little girl."

And that did it, Charlie used every trick in the book to keep the tears from falling, blinking rapidly, fanning her face, looking upward. "Dad," she whined, but then looked at him, seeing the sparkle of tears in the blue eyes she inherited, never had she seen her father cry. "Daddy, don't cry, please don't cry. I won't make it down the aisle with my makeup intact if you do."

He fusses with her veil. _Fusses. _He can't believe it. "You ready sweat-pea?" He asked her calling her by the nickname he'd used since she was an infant.

She smiles over at him. "I'm ready Daddy."

He takes her arm in his, pats it once and gives the men the nod to open the door.


	28. For You NG&OC

Pairing: Nathaniel Getz/ Delaney Bennett

It's not his first time in New York city, but it's his first time going through it with a local. The night has taken over the city, but there are still plenty of people out, lights are on and establishments are still open.

Delaney Bennett continues to go on about... what was she talking about? He'd gotten so caught up watching her body language for she spoke as much with it as she did with words. She's exuberant and excitable, she's fun to watch, beautiful too. She stops mid-sentence and he watches as a mischievous smile takes over her lovely features. Her wide green eyes flick over to him and under the lamp post they're near he can see the honeyed flecks in them.

"Nathaniel," she drawls out his name and sways towards him on her heels, she's a tall woman to begin with, and with the extra inches of the heels she's able to brush her nose against his. "I want you to be spontaneous with me, no thinking about the pros and cons for once, just... trust me."

He raises an eyebrow. "Delaney," he drew out her name like she'd done to his. "I have a feeling this idea of yours is going to cause trouble."

She starts walking, her grip on his hand stronger than he expected, she pulls and he follows despite her lacking the strength to actually drag him along. "We're going to race."

"Race?"

"Yeah, race," she responds with a grin as she twirls around a slightly in her navy blue coat that was styled much like a dress, and ended up covering to just over her knees. She stops beside a slightly elevated platform and takes off her heels. "To the other side," she tells him and points across the elevated platform.

"To the other side," he repeats.

"Yeah, last one to the other side..." Delaney places a manicured finger to her chin as her eyes narrowing slightly. "Buys ice cream!" she decides excitedly.

He smiles. "Okay, fair enough." It wasn't nearly as bad as he thought it would be. He steps up on the platform, and she stands beside him, barefoot, her heels in her hands. "Sure you're not going to hurt yourself?"

She smiles. "Go!" She shouts instead of answering and starts running.

He's left trying to catch up with her leggy sprints, he's gaining and she looks over her shoulder, her copper hair wound up in an intricate bun at the back. She smiles, stops in his path and puts her arms out. He nearly plows into her, his arms go around her waist and he tries to keep them both upright. "Delaney! Why did you stop?" he asks perplexed.

She beams and points down. He looks. Lots of little metal circles. All around the platform. He raises an eyebrow, but his confusion quickly turns to a shocking realization as jets of water started to spirt up through the metal circles and they were dead centre of the fountains. The water was frigid, and he was pretty sure they were a display, not something people should be in the middle of.

"Delaney!" he scolds using her name.

He hears her crisp and joyous laughter and then her lips are against his, her arms around his neck, and suddenly the water doesn't seem so cold, the night doesn't seem so dark, and the city falls away.

She pulls away and grabs his hand. "Come on! Come on!" she pulls and together, hand in hand they run out of the fountains, laughing the entire way.


	29. For Me It's You EB&OC

Pairing: Eric Beale/ Bethany Shaw

She's laughing so hard that there are tears in her eyes, she's holding her sides and trying to gasp for breath. He's no better off, trying to gasp in air only to support another wave of uncontrollable laughter. She wipes tears from her eyes as she starts to calm, but the occasional giggle comes to her, and then erupts once again into laughter.

"You're such a goof-ball," she says when she has breath and leans in, their shoulders brushing against each other and she rests her head against his still shaking shoulder as he tries to contain the laughter.

"Am not," he defends weakly.

"Are too," she responds playfully.

He waits a second, and then two. "Am not," he whispers.

"Are too!" she giggles. "Seriously, why would you sing that song at karioke? It's the corniest."

"There are cornier."

"No there isn't."

"Yes there is," he insists.

"Is not," the words come out under her breath.

"Is too," he responds quickly looking over at her with a smile, and just like that she's in a fit of laughter again. "This is ridiculous," he manages before her infectious laughter claims him.

"Is not," she manages as she laughs.

"Is too!"

::

**These two are such clowns when I put them together, they're like five year olds. I love them. Thanks to conservativegirl who finally gave Beth a last name :) **


	30. Falling In KB&MD

(Thanks to Guest: SCchic for recommending the song/pairing)

Pairing: Kensi Blye/ Martin Deeks

Deeks smiled when she walked into the bullpen. Her wavy hair, wild, tangled and bits sticking up at all angles as if they'd never heard of gravity. Her dark eyes were covered by dark sunglasses and she went immediately for the coffee station and poured herself a big mug and didn't even bother to doctor it, instead taking a gulp of it black.

Sam and Callen both froze outside of the bullpen, Callen smirked knowingly while Sam chose to tease openly. "Kensi Blye, that is the same dress you were wearing yesterday. Walk. Of. Shame."

Kensi delicately gripped the arm of her sunglasses and pulled them down just a little so she could glare at Sam over them. "Watch it. I still have a loaded gun."

Deeks snickered. "So, how was it?" he asked her.

She pushed her sunglasses back into place. "Mediocre," she barely managed to say evenly.

"First date still the last date?" Callen asked picking up a file and looking at it with distain.

"Oh yeah."

::

Deeks found her later in the gym, she was in her gym clothing, but didn't appear to have actually done any working out, and was laying out on the bench. "How you feeling?"

She looked at him and sat up, she patted the spot next to her and he sat down with her. "What are we doing Deeks?" her voice was thin and worried. "What happened...last night."

"Kensi," his voice warning. "Don't push me away."

"I...I..." Kensi looked down at her hands. Had she been about to? She wasn't sure. Probably.

"I'm not going to hurt you Kens," Deeks insisted. "You don't have to be scared... not with me."

She chewed on her bottom lip and looked over at him. "I'm aggressive."

"I like it rough," he replied smoothly.

She glared at his playful nature. "I hog the blankets."

"I like the breeze."

"I'm scared... that if I let you get to close... you'll leave."

He took her face between his hands, gently his thumb ran over her lips. "I'll spend forever proving you wrong."


	31. No Giving Up GC&SH&KB&MD

Characters: G Callen/ Sam Hanna/ Kensi Blye/ Martin Deeks

They'd been fed lies during their investigation.

Many lies.

Deadly lies.

"This isn't right," Sam looked around the room. "Something just doesn't sit right." He said as he started to go through one of the desks.

"I think I know what," Kensi turned the computer screen. "These bastards have and NCIS agent on their payroll."

"What?" Callen couldn't believe it. "Who?"

"Parsechi," Kensi replied. "Probationary at OSP."

"Damn it!" Sam shook his head. A traitor. That explained a lot. The case had been destructive so far, no new information, but danger at every turn. Callen was nursing some bruised ribs, but they were nothing compared to the skin missing from the detectives arm, or the bruising to the left side of Deeks's face.

Furiously, Sam opened another drawer and his jaw dropped. "Everyone out! Now!"

Callen looked over and spotted the bomb inside the drawer, the timer ticking down. "Move it!" He shouted at the younger agents and pushed his team ahead as they ran through the hallways. They didn't make it to the doors before the bomb exploded knocking them all off of their feet, but they'd maintained enough space that they were relatively unharmed. "Everyone good?" Callen shouted over the ringing in his ears. He clutched his already aching ribs that hadn't needed the extra beating.

"Good," Sam said as he wiped blood off of his temple, having knocked it in the fall.

"I'm alright," Kensi said and turned to her partner. "Hey, you good?"

He looked at her and nodded, his uninjured arm cradling his injured one as he struggled to get to his feet, Callen and Sam eventually helping him up as they all coughed on smoke. Kensi kept the door open, and together they walked out in one piece.

Some days they had to deal with the lies.

Some days they didn't get the bad guys.

Some days they called the day a win, just because they all got to go home at the end of it.


	32. And Then You NG&OC

Pairing: Nathaniel Getz/ Delaney Bennett

He knows he should be at the office. He should be doing paperwork. He should be looking at horrifying photographs, and putting together a preliminary profile for the FBI as part of the joint task force he's currently working with. He should be, _but he's not. _

Instead he's in her tiny one bedroom condo. There is soft instrumental music playing from an old record player. She sways slightly, the soft grey dress dancing with her movements. "I love this song," she tells him as she takes his hands, holding one and placing the other on her hip.

"I'm a terrible dancer," Nate reminds her.

"I know," she replies playfully stepping back pulling him with her. "We'll get it right one day."

He nearly steps on her toes and instead of trying to keep up with her dance he just holds her close and sways with her. Her big green eyes locked in his deep brown ones, smiles on both of their faces. His smile becomes mischievous as he twirls her around.

She giggles as he pulls her back into his chest. "See, you got that move down."

"I had a good teacher," he said their noses touching.

He keeps her close as they finish out the song. Sure he _should_ be at work... but there is something so perfectly right about being exactly where he is.


	33. So Cold KB&MD

((As you may have noticed, I've take out all they lyrics and song info other than in the chapter title to comply with the TOS. I've created a playlist on youtube for the songs if you wanted to give them all a listen go to youtube and add on (slash) user (slash) ambrosiarush ))

Pairing:Kensi Blye/ Martin Deeks

There is something about the emptiness. The house is cold. Boxes are stacked by the door, DONATION written across them in large black letters.

She walks through the empty house that she had once shared with him.

The living room holds the memories of sitting side by side with their feet propped up on the table, beers and burgers in hand, reality television an escape from the realities of their job.

The kitchen holds the laughter, the brushes of skin as they moved against one another, him reaching for a mug, her trying to find the candies that he had hid.

The bathroom holds garbled talk as he tried to continue conversation while brushing his teeth, and her laughter as the warmth of the shower surrounded her.

The bedroom holds the warmth of being in his arms, the simplicity of quiet talks, whispered sweet-nothings and passionate love.

"You just had to take the mission, didn't you?" she whispered bitterly in their room that is now a shell of what it had been. No longer is there a bed, no night stands, no lamps, no pictures tacked between the mirror and it's frame.

"It was too dangerous!" she yelled as if, if she was loud enough, he could hear her.

The tears escape her eyes as she backs against the wall, her legs unable to support the weight of her grief and she crumples under it. "You swore you wouldn't leave me!" she screamed her fists slamming against the wall under her fury. "You promised, Marty, you promised."

The glint of gold from her wedding band has the breath catching, and a sob ripping it's way up her throat. She ran her hands through her dark hair. She can't see why he took the case.

'_It's my job Kens,'_ he'd replied so simply_. 'It's what we do.' _

And because of it she's now alone.

So painfully alone.


	34. All Of Me NJ&GC

Pairing: Nell Jones & G Callen

She sits by the window at the front of the house, looking out to the street watching cars come home. Across the street a husband comes home, his daughter waiting for him with a soccer ball in hand. The little girl puts the ball down and kicks it to her father who puts down his briefcase and starts playing with her, his wife comes out to the porch, a smile upon her face and waves at him. He smiles back at her. A simple family moment. A welcome home.

She stands and walks across the room to the windows on the other side, from here she can see her car in the driveway. _His is missing_. She knows it's at the office, he'd taken a taxi to the airport, flown off to parts unknown. It had been 'need to know' and she had not been read in.

Weeks had passed, and being alone in their home never became easier, it just became bearable. Still it was little things that had breath catching in her throat, and the loneliness in her heart force it to clench painfully. It was the picture of them on the fridge, he'd come up behind her, wrapped his arms around her and she'd smiled looking over at him, and the moment had been captured and immortalized in flim. There was the light in their eyes, the smiles on their faces, a moment of happiness she feared she might not have again. She didn't like thinking that way, the possibility that he might not come back tormented her.

She didn't sleep, couldn't sleep in their bed. Not with out him there. She slept on the couch... for what little time she did sleep. In his absence, she seemed to develop his insomnia.

The light faded from the sky and she knew she needed to get some sleep, the rest of the team would still need her to be working her best in the morning. She changed from her work clothes and into some pajamas, grabbed a blanket from the bed and dragged it into the living room cocooning herself in it.

She was angry with the situation. She wanted him there, with her. She couldn't sleep, she worried, she was edgy, desperate, fearful. She wondered what he was doing right now, at the very moment she stared up at the ceiling was he performing some daring heroics? Perhaps pouring over intelligence information making a plan. Maybe he was lying his way through ranks trying to get the man at the top. Dozens of scenarios kept her busy and on edge.

The slamming of a door made her jump and it was only then did she realize she'd been in that limbo between wakefulness and slumber. Steps on the front porch had her kicking aside the blankets and opening the drawer on the coffee table, she punched in the code for tiny safe box and pulled out the fully loaded gun just as the door opened and she quickly turned and held the gun in both hands.

"Woah!" He put his hands both up. "Point that down, would you?"

"G!" she flicked on the safety and dropped it to the table as she ran barefoot over to him and launched herself into his arms. "You're home!" Her legs wrapped around his waist and she clung to him.

His hands went to her bottom holding her in place. "Yeah babe," he replied with a smile. "I'm home."


	35. The Dreamer NG&OC

Pairing: Nathaniel Getz/ Delaney Bennett

It always strikes him after a long hard day that meeting up with her somewhere always seems to breath life back into his body. Sometime she'll be waiting for him on the beach in a little two piece lounging in the sand under a large umbrella, reading novel. Sometimes she's waiting patiently for him at a restaurant, never leaving when he isn't on time. Sometimes she's sitting outside of his apartment and when he comes up the stairs she'll ask 'want company?' and he gets the sense that she'll understand and leave if he doesn't. Though he never sends her away. Always welcomes her company.

Today, it's the beach. He looks incredibly out of place in his suit, but he didn't want to waste time by going home and changing. Instead he takes off his shoes and socks and carries them across the warm sand until he spots her wild mass of red hair pulled into a large bun at the back of her head. She looks over at him as he ducks under the umbrella and tosses his shoes, socks tucked inside, onto the sand.

"Hey," she says as he sits down next to her and lays back onto the sand.

"Hey," he responds looking over at her with dull, tired eyes.

"Long day?" she inquires with out prying.

"Very," he says with a sigh.

She bookmarks her page and moves quickly so she's overtop of him, her hands in the sand on either side of his head, one leg between his, the other on the outer side of his left leg. She smiles down at him and drops little kisses on his face until he can't help but smile. Her smile widens and her bright green eyes light up. "Want me to teach you to surf?"

"Not even remotely," he responds with a laugh. She always asks, and he always declines. He's not so graceful on dry land and can't see being any better on a plank.

"Well I think you'd look pretty sexy out there on the waves," she said. "In a suit... all Bond... James Bond style," her voice taking on a playful edge.

"Yeah, until I fell in and the weight of the suit causes me to drown," Nate said with a roll of his eyes.

"Well... I guess I'll just have to find some other way to entertain you," she responds, her eyebrows jumping up and down with the playful suggestion and it makes him laugh.

He knows no matter how dark the job gets, he's found his permanent source of light.


	36. Bloom EB&OC

**Sorry about being away so much lately! September is crazy for me (when I suddenly go 'off the grid' check my profile, I've likely taken the time to post an explanation/return date) I hope my schedule gets back to normal in October. I appreciate your patience. **

Pairing: Eric Beale/ Bethany Shaw

Eric thinks that there is something beautiful about those mornings where he doesn't have to get up for work. Those mornings where the sun filters in through the Venetian blinds. Those mornings where there is nothing but skin and blankets and sunlight.

The sun plays off her flaxen hair, Bethany's face at peace as she sleeps. He watches the as the soft blue blanket covering her rises and falls with her breath.

He pulls her closer and in her sleep, she smiles, twists and turns till she's facing him, and their chest to chest. She nuzzles into his neck and now he's not so sure that she is asleep. Then her lips are on his neck and he knows she's woken. Her leg around his tightens pulls slightly as if she wants to prevent him from drawing away.

"Good morning," her lips brush against his skin as she speaks softly, not wanting to break the moment. Inside of their shared room, the door closing them off from the world, the sunlight filtering in bathing their bodies... no... she doesn't want to break the moment. He brushes his hand through her hair as she rests her head against his chest, listening to the steady beat.

"Good morning," he replies just as softly- he too fearful of breaking their moment of quiet, the silence in their room.

She shifts and she's practically laying on top of him, he doesn't mind, she nuzzles in a bit, shifts her legs and her ear is right over his heart again. He runs his hand through her long blonde hair and sighs with contentment.

Sometimes the best moments in life are these... these beautiful, quiet moments where absolutely nothing happens at all.


	37. Draw Your Swords MR&OC

**Four days. Four days to write this. I have the flu, it's kicking my butt. Hopefully I'll be getting more frequent with these again once I'm better :)**

::

Pairing: Mike Renko/ Angela Mercer

He watched her from across the room. She walked more confidently in heels now after a few lessons with Kensi. She stopped, surveyed the room her smoky grey eyes skipping over him completely. He could see the tension in her shoulders, even at the distance he was at. She might be more comfortable now in heels, in that skin tight, knee length, shimmery silver dress with long sleeves that hid her tattoos, but she was no more comfortable in her position as an undercover agent. Her job was to be someone else... she wasn't good at being anyone but Angela. And somehow... that made it even harder on him.

Renko moved easily among the other patrons at the high end club, his eyes not leaving her for more than a few seconds at a time. He watched out for his partner... she who was not _just_ his _partner_.

She sat down near their target. She ran her hand along the top of her head, through her copper coloured hair, shaking out the waves and curls. She rarely wore her hair down, and when she did, she had the habit of pushing it back like that, keeping it out of her face.

The team had discovered that their target had a thing for red heads, and it had been a near immediate decision that Angela would be their ticket in. She hadn't looked amused.

The bait though was taken. He watched their target, a middle-aged man grab his drink and switch seats, sitting directly beside his partner.

"Can I buy you a drink?" He asked her, Renko able to hear through the microphone hidden on the clutch Angela had sitting on the bar.

She turned to him and smiled. "You're too kind."

"What'll it be?"

"Cosmo."

Renko knew she much preferred a good glass of red wine, but had long ago stopped entrusting clubs with having the kind of quality she expected. He also knew from previous undercover cases that she'd default to Rum and Coke. _'Go for something girly, flirty, don't drink something most men order,' _he'd told her.

The drink was placed in front of her, a pink plastic sword with two cherries dipped into the liquid.

It wasn't long into their conversation and drinks that the target had his hand on Angela's knee. He tried to keep his mental distance. She was an undercover agent, it was part of the job. Still, she smiled at their target, laughed at something he said and when the man touched her face she leaned into the touch.

Renko's teeth grinded together and he shut his eyes a moment trying to get his emotions in check. How many times had she stood by and watched him flirt with a woman to further their case?

She excused herself, telling him that she had work early in the morning, but she passed him the number to the disposable cell for the case. They had the man, hook, line and sinker. She smiled as she stood brushed a hand along his as she walked away, pausing for a second to send a smile over her shoulder.

He made sure to keep his distance but kept eyes on her until she pushed the door open and walked out into the night. Only a few seconds later he pushed the door open himself. Ten feet ahead, Angela had paused and was sending him the same look over her shoulder as she'd used inside. It bothered him.

She started walking away from the club and he followed not closing the space between them till they were a block away. The night was still fairly warm, despite the clubs in the area, the street was rather quiet. She looked over at him. "You think he'll call?" she asked worriedly, as if unsure she'd done a good enough job inside.

"He'll call."

Angela stopped, and he stopped a step ahead, turning to face her. "You're angry," she stated with a confused expression upon her face.

He opened his mouth to deny it, but he shut his mouth quickly. "A little," he admitted.

"Why?" Angela placed her hands on her hips, the shimmery silver material of the dress clinging like a second skin to her athletically toned body.

He placed his hand over her cheek and she, as she had in the club, her eyes fluttered shut and she leaned into it. "I hate that, that man can do the same thing to you that I can," his voice low but if the way her eyes flashed open was any indication, she'd heard him just fine.

She gave him a good shove, her lips pressed in an angry line. "Really Mike? Really?"

"You were the same person in that club," he said closing the space between them, "As you are out here." They often had heated arguments, had right from day one, and they both infringed upon the other's personal space when arguing, as if wanting the other to physically back down.

Angela rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry that I'm not as good of a liar as you are! We're always the same person Mike! You're just better at acting different!" He opened his mouth to argue but she cut him off with a cool steel gaze. "And that man can _not_ do to me what you can." This time when she stepped closer, ensuring there was no space between them, her athletic body pressed firmly up against his. "I don't want that man, I don't want to smile at him, laugh with him. I don't want his hand sliding up my leg. Frankly, I'd have rather stabbed that fruity little straw through his eye. It's a job, Mike. Nothing more."

He was quiet for a moment watching the angry fire burn in her steely grey eyes. "I kind of wanted to stab him in the eye with the fruity sword too."

She smiled and the angry fire burnt away to a different kind of heat. "You know, for everything I don't want from that man, I want from you."

"To smile?"

She smiled at him, she hadn't smiled much before they got together, he liked that it was on reserve, seemingly just for him... then again, it seemed like some kind of weapon to use against him because every time she used it, he was putty in her hands.

"To laugh," he suggested tickling her sides as she squirmed trying to get away before a girlish giggle escaped. He loved that. Tough, bad-ass Angela Mercer giggled like a little girl when tickled.

Instead of speaking again, he just infringed upon her space until she was pressed up against the wall of one of the clubs, the music escaping for a moment as someone exited but it was gone the moment the door closed. His hand ran up her leg, his fingertips skimming a few extra inches under the hem of her dress. Her eyes were wide, surprise gave way to mischief as her arms slid around his neck pulling him in, their lips meeting in a desperate crash.

The kiss reassured Renko that what he had seen inside wasn't Angela. What he'd seen in the club had lacked her heat, the dangerous edge of her temper, the very essence of who she was- something that Renko would never be able to define in words. There was a whine at the back of her throat, and he was quite confident in the fact that no other man could make her make such a sound, that she would never react like this with anyone else.

She nipped his bottom lip before sucking on it gently and rolling her hips in a slow, precise suggestion. He pinned her offending hips to the wall and distanced himself slightly, they were on the street after all. "Ange," he warned with just her shortened name.

She leaned forward touching her forehead to his. "You're the only one I want, Mike." She let it sink in for a minute before pushing his hands off her hips and walking away with a bit of a sway to her hips. "Come on, Faraday and Cooper are going to start wondering what is taking us so long to get back to the office."

Mike followed for a second before he froze. "Hey Ange... You turned off the mic on your clutch... right?"


	38. We Are In Love GC&NJ

Pairing: Nell Jones/ G Callen

There is something beautiful about the night sky, the darkness with pinpricks of light.

She shifts trying to get closer to him, her back to his chest. His lips press softly against her neck leaving a few kisses as his arms that are wrapped around her pull her closer, practically cocooning himself around her to keep her warm.

The stars twinkle above them as they sit in the middle of the meadow.

The meadow is a long story. Nell shakes her head thinking about it. He just couldn't stop and ask for directions... She looked over her shoulder at Callen, able to make out his face by the firelight. They'd made the best of being lost. (He still holds to the fact that they aren't lost, they're on a romantic detour.)

A gentle breeze rustles the leaves, the long grass brushes against her arms, tickles her skin. She can't find it in herself to be angry about missing their reservations. This would be a memory, a long lasting one, the kind of moment that belonged in a love story, hers, theirs.


	39. The Sticks GC

Character: G Callen

There is only so much a man can take.

Only so many news papers.

Only so many cell phone calls.

Only so many people to deal with.

Only so much bureaucratic nonsense.

Only so many hours can be spent in traffic.

Only so much coffee can be consumed to keep you going.

Drop right off the map, somewhere off of the grid, if only.

No honking, no exhaust, no road rage, if only.

A soothing place of blessed silence, if only.

No more making others happy, if only.

Slip away, another name, if only.

Terra-incognita, if only.

Sometimes a man just needs a vacation.


	40. It Won't Be Like This For Long MD&KB

For conservativegirl who recommended the song/pairing.

Pairing: Martin Deeks/ Kensi Blye

Kensi can hardly keep from laughing as she watches from the doorway of the nursery. Martin is fussing. Again. Checking, double checking. Lights, teddy bear, blankets, crib, window locks, smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors... "Marty," she draws out his name in a whisper but he just about jumps out of his own skin.

"Kens, hey, I'm..." he takes one last look at the carbon monoxide detector in the outlet and stands back up. "Just..."

"Checking," Kensi fills in as she tightens her hold on the sea green slanket around herself.

"Yeah." Martin goes to the side of the crib and peers down at the little miracle child. He understands the biology of it, the birds and the bees and all that, but it still absolutely amazes him that he and Kensi created the most perfect little being in all of existence. She's even perfect when she's blowing spit bubbles, puking on his shirt, or making the most god awful mess in her diaper.

Frankly, Martin didn't like messes, but in the instance of Sophia Allison Deeks he was more than willing to make an exception.

He'd been gone, undercover for the past two weeks. "She's gotten bigger," he comments as Kensi comes up behind him, her cold hands working under his shirt to steal his warmth.

"Just a little bit," Kensi whispers not wanting to wake their infant daughter.

He frowns. She'd grown why he'd been gone. What if he missed her first word? Her first laugh? First steps? He reaches into the crib, runs his finger over her tiny little fist and withdraws his hand, putting it back over Kensi's.

"You ready to go to bed?" Kensi asks stifling a yawn of her own.

"You go, I'll... I'll be there in a minute, okay?" He looks over his shoulder at her and she smiles sleepily at him.

Kensi's up on her tiptoes giving him a sweet peck on the lips. "I love you."

He smiles. "Love you more." He watches her leave the nursery and he indulges in leaning over the crib and watching his daughter sleep, after all, she wouldn't be so small forever.


	41. Here It Goes Again MD&KB&NG&OC

Characters: Martin Deeks, Nathaniel Getz, Kensi Blye, Delaney Bennett

The private area of surf was courtesy of Hetty. Deeks was finally, _finally_ taken off the injured list and she figured a good surf would be just the thing to spark his spirits. It had become something of an outing, he didn't even have to ask Kensi, she looked about as pumped for some surfing as he was. Delaney who, as of late, had been spending more of her time in Los Angeles than New York had been staying at his house, taking care and keeping him company while Kensi was at work wanted to tag along, and bring Nate whom she'd been trying to convince to let her teach him to surf.

The sun was shining, the waves looked good from the distance as he put his vehicle into park.

"No, no, no," Delaney had her seatbelt off in a second and was leaning through the two front seats to swat Deeks's hand away, preventing him from turning off the engine. "I love this song!" The declaration was followed by her cranking the stereo and singing along to the lyrics.

Deeks laughed as he got out of the car, stepped up and started to pull surfboards from the racks. Kensi was quickly grabbed by Delaney once out of the vehicle, Delaney dancing around infectiously convincing Kensi to do the same. Nate was ogling Delaney in her blue and purple striped bikini and Deeks may have accidentally on purpose hit the man in the head with one of the surfboards. "Oh, sorry about that man!" Nate rubbed his head and smiled knowingly.

Before long the umbrella was stuck in the sand, towels were laid out, cooler was open and filled with refreshments, Delaney was picking her way through a bag of pretzels throwing the occasional one for the seagulls.

"They're going to attack you if you keep feeding them," Deeks commented as he started to pull on his wetsuit.

"But they're hungry too!" Delaney argued. It became a game of 'one for me, one for you' as she would eat one and toss a second to the birds. In Deeks mind, she was back to being an eight year old girl with a sunburnt nose, a blue one-piece and a bag of Cheezies tossing them to the seagulls... she hadn't changed much in twenty-two years.

"Are we going surfing or what?" Kensi asked zipping up the back of her wetsuit, her hair pulled into a ponytail as she stared off at the waves.

"Yeah, I'm going," Deeks said grabbing a board and passing it to Kensi before grabbing his own. "You two coming?"

Delaney looked to Nate who was shaking his head. "I brought a book, you kids have fun."

Delaney looked to her bag of pretzels. "I'll join you guys later."

"You miss all the good waves don't come complaining to me," Deeks replied looking over at Kensi with a grin. "You ready hot-stuff?"

"Hot-stuff? Really?" Kensi rolled her eyes and Deeks kept up as they walked towards the waves.

"What? Do you prefer sugar-bear? Honey-bunches?"

Kensi smirked and turned hitting Deeks in the butt with her board. "Shut it."

Deeks laughed and the smile stayed put as he put his feet in the water and let out a sigh, it had been a long time.

"You sure you're up for this?" Kensi asked, truly worried. "You did just get off the injured list..."

"I'm fine Kens," Deeks insisted with a grin. "But thanks for worrying."

She looked back to the beach trying to hide the blush she could feel on her cheeks. "Looks like they're getting cozy," Kensi said with a laugh.

Deeks turned back to see Delaney using Nate as a human shield as the birds flocked around.

"Think we should help them?" Kensi asked.

"Na... Delaney can outrun Nate," he said with a laugh as he walked further into the depths.


	42. Calm Me Down LH&OC

**For Bookworm608 who pointed out that I'd yet to do a Lauren/Logan chapter. (If you have no idea who Logan is, he's from Their Blue Eyes) I started to listen to music with them in mind and this song just struck me. Enjoy :)**

Pairing: Lauren Hunter/ Logan Cole

It's the elbow to the sternum that wakes him up.

She's thrashing around in her sleep, and it doesn't come as a surprise. She turns her head, throws another elbow, which this time he's luck to catch with an open palm rather than his face, which was where it had been headed.

"Lauren," he says her name gruffly, but she doesn't seem to hear him. "Lauren!" he tries again.

She whimpers, turns her head away from him, and kicks her feet, a heel catching him in the shin.

"Damn it," he rolls over her and uses his weight to pin her down and keep her from beaten him up. She might appear small, wiry even, but she was trained and she was a damn good fighter. He just wished she didn't do it in her sleep. "Lauren, wake up!" He let out a long sigh and tried a different tactic. He pins both of her hands above her head with quite the fight, she's stronger than she looks. He makes sure he's got both of them pinned under one hand before he brings his other to her hair and gently brushes it back. "Honey, you're safe, you're fine."

She stops kicking so much but she's still squirming beneath him. He lets out a little sigh. "You're safe, you're safe," he repeats until her eyes open, she looks startled at first, but her eyes seem to adjust to the light, realize who is on top of her and she looks up at him with a rather sheepish expression. "I woke you... _again_... didn't I?"

"Yeah," he responded rolling off of her. She sits up immediately and turns away from him. Her tank top is tight and he can see her shoulders roll as she tries to rid them of the tension.

"Sorry."

"S'okay."

She gives a small nod, still not looking at him and he sees the line in her back hunch just as he hears the quietest quick intake of breath and he knows, he knows because he's seen it before. She's trying not to cry.

He sits up and shifts to sit behind her, pulling her back to his bare chest. "Honey," the word is a whispered breath against the shell of her ear. "What is it that you keep dreaming about?"

She almost laughs. Almost.

"Pick your poison," she responds, bitter, vague. "Doesn't matter," she decides.

He can still feel how tense she is though, knows she won't go back to sleep tonight. At least, not without dropping back into the dreams she's trying so hard to avoid.

Before he even realizes his intentions he's brushing her long dark hair over to one side so he can kiss a trail along the long column of her neck. She tilts her head just slightly giving him better access, his hands slip under her shirt, burning a hot trail over her stomach.

"What are you doing?" there is a playful edge to her voice and he feels some of the tension leave her.

"Distracting you," he responds between kisses. "Is it working?"

"Yeah," she admitted happily, turning back so she could kiss him properly. His hand tangled itself in her hair and kept her close. She carefully turned around, never breaking away from the kiss.

Despite the fact that she gave off the appearance of a cold woman, he knew that the opposite was true.

She nipped his lip and he flipped her over onto her back and she let out a little laugh, a smile staying on her face as she stared up at him. "Thank you," she whispered as the last wisp of memory about the nightmare brushed away like smoke.

He smirked. "Who said I was done with you?"

She laughed as his lips returned to her neck and fingertips slid under her shirt.


	43. Letters From The Sky ? & ?

Pairing: ?/?

He'd never looked so bad, but at the very least he'd walked back into the office on his own two feet. The office where she'd been waiting, impatiently, wearing down the floor with her endless pacing.

There was blood matting in his hair from a cut along his temple. His lip split and blood had been smeared- she looked to the back of his hand to see where the rest of it had gone. Her eyes flicked back to meet his, tired- bordering on exhaustion but lit up with their intelligence though the left one was turning a nasty shade of purple.

He sighed, one hand around his mid-section and she figured he had some banged up ribs to add onto the list of injuries. "I'm fine."

She couldn't help the automatic eye roll a response just as ingrained as his statement of 'I'm fine.' "Yeah," she whispered her voice getting choked up. She could have _lost_ him... and the thought just about _kills_ her. She felt the tears welling up and she didn't want to let them fall. Not here. She tore her gaze from him and studied the intricacies of the wired walls that outlined the main bullpen and it was then that she noticed that most of the staff, the rest of the team had the decency to give them a moment.

He took a few steps forward and she noticed the way he slightly limped. It had been a close one, she knew it. She tried to keep her breathing even but her heart was beating so fast, it felt like she'd just run a marathon, and there were sobs at the back of her throat desperate, climbing, ones she tried to keep down.

"Hey," his voice, soft, comforting. "I'm fine," he insisted once again, raising his hand just slightly, gently brushing his thumb along her jaw line. "Please don't cry," he whispered so softly she hardly heard him, but there was begging lilt to his voice.

But she could have lost him.

A tear fell from her eye and she leaned up on tip-toes before she even thought about it and grazed his lips with her own. "You scared me," she whispered breath along his lips.

"I'm sorry," he whispered back and she leaned into him but jerked back when he made a slightly pained sound.

"How bad are they?"

"What?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Your ribs, don't dance around it."

"A little bruised."

"Cracked?"

"Na," he responded and she narrowed her eyes further. "Maybe a little," he finally admitted.

She shook her head, her thoughts clouded. She could have lost him. He could have died... and then what would have become of her? She was practically vibrating, a tense coil of stress and worry.

"Hey," he whispered gaining her attention, as if he knew exactly where her thoughts had lead her. "I'm right here. I'm going to be just fine." He flashed her a smile. "Not as pretty as I use to be though."

She didn't think about it. She just wrapped an arm around his neck and pulled him down into a kiss, slow, sensual. She heard wolf-whistling but she ignored it. He was here, he was alive, and this was what she needed. She pulled back again, stared up at him a little shocked by her own actions but he was wearing a smile so she figured all was well. "I'm glad you're safe," she said.

"Well... I had something to come back for."

"Oh yeah, what's that."

"Egg rolls. It's Chinese night. You're buying."

She couldn't help it, she laughed. "Oh really?"

"I love egg rolls."

"Uh-huh. And I'm paying huh?"

"I paid last time," he gave a careless shrug of his shoulders.

She shook her head, he was fine, he was going to be just fine.

::

**I wrote this one rather generically pairing wise. I know who I thought of while writing it, but it can work for nearly all the pairings, I'm curious though, which couple did you read it as? **

**Thanks for reading :)**


	44. Small Bump MR&OC

**When I first heard this song (Small Bump: Ed Sheeran) I thought it was the cutest thing, it really inspired me to write a cute little story. Now if you know the song, the ending comes out of now where and **_**eviscerates **_**you... so what starts out as a cute story, ends up gut-wrenching. ****You have been warned****.**

Pairing: Mike Renko/Angela Mercer

"What are you doing here?" Renko asked surprised to see Angela sitting at his desk. She stood, a hand over the small baby bump she carried proudly. Her grey eyes held a storm, and it was obvious to Renko he was forgetting something, he quickly ran through dates... it wasn't her birthday, wasn't their anniversary. Was it one of those chick things that men never remember? First kiss? First date? First day she came to work with them?

She shook her head in open disbelief. She unclasped the front of her purse and took out piece of photo paper, she walked over to him and turned the paper around.

A sonagram.

_Shit_.

"That was today," he closed his eyes tightly. "I missed it."

He opened his eyes feeling her hand along his neck. "It's fine, Mike. I know you're busy." She looked to her desk that was currently disorganized. "How's my replacement?" she asked bitterly.

"Ange," Mike used a warning tone.

She shook her head. "Doesn't matter, I don't care about Miss Long-Legs."

"Christ." Hormones, he blamed the hormones. Jessica, her replacement was five-six, she didn't even have as long of legs as Angela, it didn't matter though, Angela didn't like the fact that someone else was at her desk, that someone else was his partner, that she wasn't there to watch his back.

"What?" Angela snipped moodily. "She's gorgeous, all blonde and trim and-"

He shut her up by pulling her in for a kiss, he nipped her lip in abolishment and soothed it over with a lingering kiss. "Only got eyes for you, babe." He watched her lips curl up in a smile. "Come on, lemme see the peanut." He'd taken to calling the baby 'peanut' after the first sonagram... the one where he hadn't seen much.

"_Right there," Ange pointed. _

"_Where?" _

"_There," she pointed again. _

"_That's the baby?" _

"_Yeah!" She beamed and ran her hand over her stomach that wasn't really showing yet. _

"_Looks more like a peanut to me." _

_A roll of her eyes. "It's a baby, I assure you." _

Renko laughed happily. "Oh my god... it actually kind of looks like a kid now... look, are those the feet?"

"Yeah," she replied as they stood close together, his arm snaking around her back pulling her in, keeping her close to his side. "Kind of amazing isn't it?"

"What?"

"We did that," she said pointing to the sonagram.

"Well, you're doing all the heavy lifting," Renko said.

"And you're doing all the late night runs for Skittles."

He laughed. "The tropical kind."

She rested her head against his shoulder as Faraday came in. "Hey Ange," he said with a smile. "Sorry, but we got to get moving, Cooper's in position, Jessica is waiting on us."

"Yeah, yeah," Renko said turning to Angela. "I'll try to be home at a reasonable hour but-"

"I understand the job, Mike." She slipped the sonagram into the pocket of his jacket. "Go. Be safe." Renko nodded and turned, and Angela called out, "Noah. Watch him."

Faraday nodded. "I will."

::

Seven hours later, Mike Renko finally walked back into the office. Two in the morning, so much for 'reasonable hour.' He sighed and took off the jacket that smelt of explosives. Best not to bring that home. Angela would throw a fit, and then the hormones would have her crying- and when she cried, he was never quite sure how to handle her. The screaming and anger he knew what to do with. The tears threw him for a vicious loop.

He remembered the sonagram and took it from the jacket before he put it in the pile for wardrobe to clean. He smiled looking at the image. Tiny little baby. They had decided they didn't want to know the gender, they wanted it to be a surprise. Angela didn't like it when the fetus was called an 'it' though, all the more reason why he took to calling the baby 'peanut.'

He knew there were still months to go, but he couldn't wait to hold the child, boy or girl it didn't matter. He never thought much about children before Angela, with the job, plus he wasn't exactly long term relationship kind of guy... until he met her... and then he just couldn't imagine ever leaving... and then he wanted their place to have the noise of baby's laughter and little feet.

"Mr Renko," Hetty walked up to him, breaking him from his moment of daydreaming and the expression on her face had his back straightening, worry spreading through him.

"Yeah, what's up, Hetty?"

Hetty looked to the team behind him, Cooper, Faraday and the new agent Jessica. "Perhaps we should speak somewhere a little more private."

"Yeah, okay, good night guys," he said absentmindedly to his team as he followed Hetty into her office, instead of sitting behind her desk she sat at the bench and patted the spot next to her, he took the extra few steps and sat down beside her. "You know, you're genuinely terrifying me Hetty, what's going on?"

Hetty took a deep breath and then took his hand. "Earlier this evening... Angela called Mr Callen... she was experiencing extreme pains in her back and abdomen." Hetty couldn't face the obvious heartbreak on the man's face. "Mr Callen rushed her to the hospital... but... there was nothing the doctors could do."

"Angela?"

Hetty closed her eyes at the pain in his voice. "She's still in the hospital. Mr Callen is staying with her."

"And the baby... the baby..."

"I'm sorry, Michael."

::

Renko walked into the hospital room. Callen who'd been sitting at Angela's bedside, holding her hand stood and slowly let go. "Mike," Callen's voice was quiet and filled with pain. "I'm so sorry, Mike."

"How is she?" Renko had to focus, tears were burning his eyes, his left fist clenched and unclenched.

Callen took a few steps over and put his hand on Renko's shoulder. "They sedated her, she's... devastated."

"How... how did this happen, she just... we just..." He looked down tot he sonagram in his right hand. "The baby, the baby was fine. I just..." he shook his head. "I don't get it. I don't understand."

Callen pulled his friend into a crushing hug and after a second it became apparent that he was the only thing holding Renko up anymore. There was a shudder, a sob and Callen was nearly in tears himself feeling the crushing grief of a man who was like a brother. "I'm so sorry, Mike," he said, unable to find anything else.

A spike on the heart monitor had both men turning and Callen kept an hand under his friend's elbow as he swayed slightly. Angela's grey eyes flickered open, foggy grey, it took a moment but they settled on them as Renko wiped tears on the back of a sleeve quickly.

"Mike."

"I'll... give you two a minute," Callen said softly. "Right outside if either of you need _anything_."

Renko patted his shoulder in thanks and Callen slipped from the room. Renko walked up to Angela's bedside. "Hey babe," his voice weak.

She let out a sob and tears welled immediately in her eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"Babe," he pulled her into his arms. "This isn't your fault, it isn't your fault."

"I don't know what happened. The doctors don't know what happened. I... is it something I did? Did... did I..."

"No, no, no," he soothed a hand over her hair. "This isn't your fault babe." He pressed two kisses to her temple. "No, it's just..." he shook his head trying to lock away his own grief to help her through. "Just wasn't time. Heaven needed our peanut back."

Her cry was anguished as her nails dug in to grip his shirt, hold him close and he couldn't hold back his own grief anymore, they could do nothing more for the other than to hold each other as they cried.


	45. Kiss Me MR&OC

**(To my knowledge) I haven't done a pairing back to back. I also haven't done an artist back to back. I'm doing both here because yesterday's one-shot just gutted me with sadness- I intended on it being fluffy, the song had other plans. This time, I made sure the song was completely fluffy before I started. Fluff, damn it, fluff. This made me happy. I love these two, I couldn't take the ending of the last one, I had to write them happy again... thus this chapter. Redemption all around! **

Pairing: Mike Renko/Angela Mercer

A year ago, he would never have guessed. She didn't hint to the fact. Angela always seemed cold, distant, rather untouchable. She just didn't seem the type, not that he'd given it much consideration early on in their partnership when they were too busy yelling at oneanother.

And now? He smiled as she nuzzled a little bit. Her one leg was hooked around one of his, an arm across his chest her index finger lazily painting invisible patterns on his chest, her head on the crook of his shoulder her hair down and tickling his arm and chest. Angela Mercer... likes to _cuddle _of all things. Who would have thought?

It wasn't just post-sex cuddling either. It's cuddling up on the sofa while watching a movie. It's cuddling up while reading next to one another wether in the livingroom or bedroom. It's on the beach, or in a park.

He'd once commented on it. She'd shrugged and looked shyer than he'd ever seen her. _'I like being held,' _and that's all she would say on the matter.

Renko tightened his arm around her and she sighed softly, her breath brushing against his bare skin. Her eyelashes brushed against his skin as she blinked a few times, smiled and shut her eyes. He kissed the top of her head.

"What do you want to do today?"

She gave a little shrug of her shoulders. "This."

His smiled, when her fire has gone out, he finds she's easy to please. His hand ran up her side, threaded through her hair and gave it a little tug. Her eyes opened, narrowly- not in the dangerous warning kind of way she usually did it either- instead it was in an curious manner as her eyebrows drew down giving her a puzzled expression

"Kiss me."

She smiled. "You're so demanding."

"I thought you like it when I take charge."

She flushed, said nothing as she shifted to shut him up with her lips. She ended up laying over him, too lazy to hold her own body weight up, not that he minded in the least. Slow, sweet, lazy kisses. She pulled back after a few minutes, rested her chin on his chest and stared up at him. "I love Tuesdays."

"I'm growing pretty fond of them myself," he said with a smirk.

She shifted, her body brushing against his as her lips once again met his in a well practised dance. She drew away, pressed a few quick kisses to his cheek and then snuggled back down against his side, her leg hooking around his once again as if enabling him from leaving.

She nuzzled again and he couldn't help the smile upon his face. Her finger came to trace along his jaw line. "You need to shave," she mumbled.

"I thought the beard was sexy?"

"I said stubble is sexy," she yawned and rubbed a closed eye with her fist. "The beard needs to go, Mike."

"Alright, alright, since you're so demanding, I'll go shave."

He made the move to slide out of bed, but her leg tightened around his and her arm shot out to grab him. "No," she whined. "Not now."

"I thought you meant now."

"You know damn well I didn't."

He can hear the fire returning so he doesn't push- doesn't want to spend his Tuesday in the proverbial dog house. Instead, he just rested his head against the pillow once again and pulled her back into him. Her eyes fluttered shut, she sighed. The fire extinguished.

"Babe?"

"Mmm?" the questioning hum was the only response he got.

"Love you."

"Mmhm?"

He smiled. "Yep."

He felt her cheek pressed against his chest rise as she smiled. "Love you too, Mike."


	46. Last Kiss EB&NJ

**(Thanks to Charlotte's Sunrise for the song suggestion) **

Pairing: Eric Beale/ Nell Jones

"You didn't have to do this, Eric."

"I wanted to Nell. There isn't any point in you walking two blocks from the office to hail a cab home. It's not that far out of the way."

"It's forty minutes extra on your commute," Nell argued shaking her head. "I took the cab this morning when my car decided not to start."

Eric flicked on the windshield wipers as the forecasted rain started to fall. "Yeah, but it's nearly midnight and it's raining. I can take you home. It's fine. You're the only one worrying about it."

She shot him a little smile. "Thanks Eric."

"What are partners for?" Partners. Despite the fact that he occasionally pushed to be more, she always locked down, shut him out with a cool gaze and a skilful change of topics. He let out a quiet sigh as he hit the blinker and waited for another car before taking the turn.

"You mind?"

He took his eyes from the road for just a second to see she was pointing to the radio knob. "Not at all, go ahead and change it."

His eyes returned to the road and instinct had him slamming on the brakes. "Oh my God."

Nell's mouth was agape as she stared in shock at the accident before them. Front of both cars smashed in. The headlights and tail lights the only illumination to the scene.

"Call nine-one-one!" Eric shouted as he jumped out of the car.

Nell was out of the car in an instant, dumping the contents of her purse out onto the seat and furiously sorting through it till her hand gripped her phone. She dialled and stood hardly feeling the rain.

"_Nine-one-one what is your emergency?"_

Quickly, Nell gave what information she had about the accident, and the closest intersection to the dispatcher as she jogged over to the crash site. "Eric, how many?"

"Family of four in the van," he called from beside the closest vehicle as he was assuring the conscious male driver that help was on the way. "I haven't seen into the car yet!"

"I've got it," Nell told him as she nearly tripped over a bit of a car bumper while reiterating what she knew from Eric to the dispatcher.

She peered into the car to see a petite blonde, younger than she perhaps. A young man, beside her, holding her hand tightly, staring blankly at her. She put the phone down on top of the car as she tried to get the door open. "Come on, come on," she might have muttered, might have screamed as her mind muddled trying to yank the damaged door. "Damn it!" Locked, she noticed. The doors were all auto-locked.

Without thinking much about it at all, she slammed her elbow into the back window, unsuccessfully the first three times before it finally shattered. She reached through the broken glass and unlocked the front passengers side. In the distance she could hear an ambulance, or what she prayed was one. She pulled at the door until it gave away with the sound of metal on metal.

"Oh my God," she whispered. The dash was all but up in their laps. The steering wheel pressing into the young man, the woman's eyes shut. "No, no!"

The young blonde woman opened her eyes briefly, let out a pained sound and looked away from Nell. "Jason? Jason?"

The young man blinked slowly, blood trickling down the side of his face from his temple. "Kate," he whispered weakly.

"You're going to be okay," Nell told them as she stood straight and looked around. "Help is coming." The sirens were sounding closer now. "Help is on it's way, you're both going to be okay."

She crouched down. Surely there must be something she could do. Instead, what she witnessed changed her life. Kate leaned in, kissed Jason softly and her head went to rest on his shoulder. Her eyes fluttered and then stayed shut. Jason's head rested on top of hers, he seemed to be saying something but Nell couldn't hear it, she wasn't as good at reading lips as Kensi, but this was one thing she did know... and then his lips stopped moving.

"Jason? Kate?" Nell whispered. "Please, no."

"Ma'am," she jerked at the hand on her shoulder. Paramedics. "We'll take it from here."

::

Nell sat in Eric's kitchen. A cup of hot cocoa in her hands, Eric's green eyes watching, worry ever present. She didn't want to be alone, asked if she could stay on his couch. He wanted to keep an eye on her anyways. Eric sat down across from her at the tiny table, which Nell suspected was suppose to be patio furniture.

"Crazy night," Eric whispered.

The family of four were all fine when they were taken to the hospital.

The couple in the car, Jason and Kate, were pronounced dead on scene.

"Yeah," she replied stirring the hot cocoa until the tiny marshmallows melted completely.

She pressed her lips together firmly in a last ditch effort not to cry. "They were holding hands."

"Huh?" Eric pushed his glasses a little further up his nose.

"The couple in the car, Jason and Kate... when I looked in they were holding hands. And when Kate came to... she didn't even see me, she called for him, looked for him. And... and he... he just stared at her... and, and, she kissed him." With eyes filled with tears she looked up at Eric. "And then she rested her head on his shoulder, and... and he on hers and..."

"Nell," he whispered reverently.

"And all he kept saying was 'I love you.'"

Any attempt to keep from blubbering was gone as the sobs tore their way up her throat. She would grieve these two young lives, those two who in their short years had more courage than she. For they had been able to give their hearts to one another, while she held hers behind lock and key.

"Nell," Eric reached out and placed his hand over hers. "I'm sorry."

She sniffled a bit, stood while still holding his hand and came to sit in his lap. She felt more secure there, safe in his arms that instinctively wrapped around her.

When Eric pushed at her feelings she always shut him down, kept her heart from getting broken, also kept it from being loved.

She kissed him, tentatively light on the lips. She sat back after a second, stared at him. His green eyes puzzled. "I care about you, Eric. Greatly. I... I just... I don't want to lose what they had before I even let it have a chance to begin. I don't want to live my life alone and guarded. I don't want that. I don't," she realized with a moment of absolute clarity.

She wanted what Jason and Kate had.

A hand to hold.

Lips to kiss.

Someone to love.


	47. First Day Of My Life MB&OC

Pairing: Matt Burnhart/ Ava Vogel

LAPD Detective Matt Burnhart was in a pisser of a mood. First of all, his cover had been blown by some green cop. A cop! An LAPD brother in blue had screwed the past _eight months _of undercover work! Of course, he hadn't known he'd been burned until it was too late. His ribs ached, there were blossoms of purple from the large rings the man had worn. His lip was split and the metallic taste of his own blood was all to familiar in his mouth. His tongue ran over the split and he winced.

As if that wasn't bad enough, the day continued to get worse. Superior officers had the audacity to insinuate that maybe it was him who screwed his cover_. Bureaucrats. _Then, he'd been sent off to the hospital to get his ribs checked out, and the doctor was male and the nurse appeared to be in her seventies. Coffee ended up spilt on his shirt. Someone took his parking spot and he had to park three blocks away- and got a ticket for it. He tripped on the stairs at the front of the precinct. His landlord had called while he was undercover to inform him he'd been evicted and all of his stuff had been tossed from his apartment... _two months ago. _

He headed back to his desk, wanted to sit down, take a breather before picking up his phone calling his old landlord and verbally rip him a new one.

But there was someone sitting at his desk.

He cursed low and angry.

"You alright there buddy?" His blue eyes turned to one of the traffic cops who's name he couldn't recall. Surname on the badge was Rodriguez. "You looking for someone?"

"I work here," Matt growled. "Who's she, the little blonde at my desk."

"Oh. You're a cop?"

He let out a sigh. "Yeah. I'm a cop. Undercover. Now who's the little thing at my desk?"

"That's Ava. Ava Vogel, she's been here two months now. Traffic," Rodriguez responded quickly if not a little nervously.

"What's she doin' at my desk?"

Rodriguez shrugged. "Not sure, sir."

Matt left Rodriguez and walked swiftly with anger. He stared down at her as he came to stand beside his desk. Waited. Finally her bright blue eyes looked up at him, her platinum blonde hair sticking up in all angles, her LAPD blues crisp and clean.

He figured he must look like a mess, surely sporting bruises along his face, tired blue eyes, dark blonde hair that had grown out a bit during the undercover, a coffee stained blue shirt and dirty and ripped up dark wash blue jeans with scuffed sneakers.

"Hi," she said. Chipper little thing. Big, bright, enthusiastic smile. Pretty. Eye catching.

Usually he'd default to flirting. He couldn't help it, shameless womanizer. "What are you doing here?" His bad day had him agitated, edgy.

"I work here," she responded looking him over. "Do you need to file a complaint?" She asked standing, her eyes expressing her worry, a little line between her eyebrows. "Who did this to you?"

He really wanted to punch someone. Not her, of course, never a woman, but something, an inanimate object would do just fine. Just something to physically vent the anger brewing.

Instead, he reached into his pocket and slammed his badge down on his desk. "All in a day's work."

"Oh. Oh!" She bit her lip. "I usually have a good memory with names and faces. I thought I'd recognize everyone by now."

"I've been undercover."

"Ah," she nodded in understanding. "I take it that didn't go well."

He snorted. "Please, sometimes I look like this when it does... but no... it didn't go well."

She frowned. "Sorry to hear it." _Honesty_. She spoke with honesty, he could appreciate that.

He nodded and tapped at the desk. "What are you doing here."

"Bates told me I could use it till... his undercover came back, that's you isn't it?"

Matt nodded.

"Well... I'm Ava... Vogel," she tapped her name badge before sticking out her hand.

He stared at it a second before taking it in his. "Matt..." he turned the nameplate on the desk around to face them and tapped it. "Burnhart."

"Well," she said taking her hand back and stacking her files. "I guess I'll see you around Matt Burnhart."

"Hey." He placed his hand over hers as she topped off the stack. "What's that?"

"What's what?"

"This," he pulled a sketchbook from the centre of the pile and ignored the glare he received.

"Give that back!"

"I just want to look," he stood and used his height to his advantage. He stood nearly six feet tall, and he'd put her at five six at most.

"Give it!" She stood on her tip toes but he held the book above his head and stared up at it, he turned away from her, still holding the book out as he flipped the pages. She gave up, crossed her arms over her chest moodily as he flipped through the book, entranced. "Would you give it back, please?"

"In a minute... these are good... like really good," Matt said sitting down in his chair, he looked up at her, she appeared uncomfortable, bright blue eyes looking almost scared. He frowned. "Seriously Ava, these are incredible."

She kicked her toe into the carpet a few times. "They're nothing special, it just helps me clear my head."

"Look. I don't say anything I don't mean... unless I'm undercover of course, but... look, I wouldn't say these are incredible if they weren't." He flipped through a few more pictures, mostly portraits of people. "It was mentioned during a debrief I had a while ago that we're looking for a sketch artist, can't seem to find anyone with the talent or the time though." He looked up at her again. "You should show these to Bates."

Ava bit her lip. "I don't think so, I mean, it's nice of you to say an all but..."

"No buts," Matt said standing and taking the book with him.

"Hey! Where are you going!" Ava jogged to keep up with his long legged strides.

"Bates," he said walking right into the lieutenants office.

"Of course I can't have a nice quiet moment last," Bates muttered bitterly.

"Check this out," he said tossing the book down.

Ava made a little sound behind him and he shot her an encouraging smile.

"Impressive," Bates said flipping through the pages. "I know it isn't you Matt, you can't draw a God damn stick figure if it saved your life."

Matt smirked. "Gee, thanks."

"Who?"

Matt pointed a thumb over his shoulder. "Etch-A-Sketch."

"Etch-a-wha-?" Ava's temper flared.

"Sketch, you know those little red do-dickies with the knobs," Matt explained with hand gestures included.

"I know what an Etch-A-Sketch is, I'm not one."

Matt just smirked. "You're both welcome by the way," was all he said before leaving the office, Bates relieved that he had a new sketch artist, and Ava fuming that she'd been pushed and pulled into a position she didn't want.

Matt disregarded both reactions and returned to his desk, he still had to verbally rip his ex-landlord a new one.


	48. Overjoyed NJ&MD

Pairing: Nell Jones/Martin Deeks

Nell decides right away that she likes dancing with Martin Deeks. Despite having watched Deeks dance with Kensi, he actually is a good dancer and not once during their evening has he stepped on her toes. Their height difference is a little comical, but it's manageable. He jokes about it, teases her lightly and she can't help the smile on her face and despite everything that has gone on during the past few hours, she feels safe there in his arms.

He compliments her dress, it's white and strapless and there are layers of tulle and she feels like a princess. She smiles up at him and thanks him, notes that he is looking rather dashing in that grey suit, that bright blue tie.

The music is nice, and slow. The hand on the small of her back presses and pulls her closer to him. She follows his lead and rests her head against his chest, listening to the steady, comforting beat of his heart.

Nell Jones has always loved weddings, and now that it is time for her own. She smirks up at Deeks, this isn't exactly what she had in mind.

Gunfire breaks up their moment of staring at one another and Nell tenses spotting the gunman by the door. Some of the guests scream... a lot of them in this small, intimate affair draw their own weapons with choruses of 'NCIS' and 'LAPD.' Deeks has his own weapon out, and Nell is lifting layers upon layers of tulle to get her small caliber weapon from the ankle holster.

The gunman looks right at Deeks and pales. "Wait... no, no."

Some of the guests are confused. Nell and Deeks simply watched as the gunman is cuffed by Sam and is hauled off into LAPD custody.

Another man, tall as Deeks and with a slightly shorter hair cut walks over in the same dashing suit and blue tie. "Marty... thank you... you too Miss Jones," the real groom, and LAPD undercover officer and long time friend of Martin Deeks takes Nell's hand and kisses the back of it before extending his hand to another woman, just as tiny as Nell, same pixie hairstyle, big white gown.

"Anytime, is their cocktail shrimp?" Deeks asks immediately loosening his tie and looking around at the buffet tables. "I told you I'd do it for shrimp, Austin."

Austin pointed. "Didn't think you'd seriously risk your ass for shrimp."

"I love shrimp," Deeks said before extending his hand to Nell. "Care to join me?"

Nell shrugged. Sure it wasn't_ really_ her wedding, and the switch had taken place between the ceremony and the reception... and it was a long, tangled mess, and even being a genius she'd had to take a moment to process when Deeks had told her the story and his plan. Still, she got to dress up, and for tonight she'd dance, drink champagne, and apparently, eat cocktail shrimp. "Sounds good."

He threw an arm over her shoulders. "So how was your first fake-wedding?"

"Couldn't have asked for a better groom."

Deeks smiles and pulls her in tighter. "I aim to please."


	49. Featherstone GC&OC

**(If you haven't read the one-shot Venice I suggest reading it first for this one/ Also, Venice is going to be reappearing in Their Blue Eyes for any wondering.) **

Pairing: "Blue Eyes" / "Venice"

**April 29th 2009**

She watched him, her green eyes weary.

He wondered why.

She had grown attached.

He enjoyed sitting there beside her.

She knew it was time to leave.

He knew he had to move soon.

She wanted to stay a while longer.

He wanted to stay a while longer.

She knew it was to dangerous.

He knew it was to dangerous.

She took a sip of her coffee and let out a sigh.

He pushed his paranoia away, he could enjoy one more day.

She chewed on the inside of her cheek.

He swirled his coffee around before taking a sip.

She looked over at him once again, entranced when his blue eyes met hers.

He gave a smile but continued their companionable silence.

She hated the way her heart skipped a beat at his rare smile.

**April 30****th**** 2009**

He was being watched.

She was being watched.

He needed to move from Venice Beach.

She needed to move again.

He felt vulnerable.

She couldn't risk staying longer.

He had to leave.

She had to leave.

He walked to where they always met.

She grabbed his arm.

He was surprised by her grasp, by what she put in his hand.

She kissed his cheek and thanked him.

He watched her walk away.

She bit her tongue and tried not to cry.

He looked to his hand to find a wired bead bracelet.

She quickened her pace, wiped a single tear with the back of her hand.

He held on to the bracelet, proof that she had existed.

She grieved for what they'd lost.

**August 25****th**** 2012**

He stared at her, startled by her presence.

She stared back, unable to believe it was him.

He couldn't believe that she was there.

She stared, her mouth agape with her shock.

He flashed a quick smile of pure pleasure.

She couldn't help but smile right back.

He knew that they'd love what they'd found.


	50. Born To Die GC & ?

**I wanted to write something strictly in dialogue, so this was what came of it. The second character is one I'm developing for an upcoming story I'll work on once I finish up the two currently active ones. The character is mentioned once in the show, so points to whoever can figure it out ;) ******points hold no real value :P**

**EDIT: Points that hold no real value go to Guest: MaryAnn who totally nailed it :D**

Pairing: G Callen/ ?

"Could you for once, just once-"

"My ass does not need saving!"

"_Oh Really?_ By all means then, get out of those bindings."

"You are a jerk at times, did you know this? Cut me loose. They will come soon."

"There, better?"

"Well I am starting to feel my fingers again, so yes."

"What no thank you?"

"I did not _require_ your help. I could have gotten out."

"Uh-huh, sure. Take this."

"I dislike the weight of Glocks. I much prefer a Barretta."

"Seriously? Is this really the time to be choosy? There are at least sixteen men out there, and we need to get out quickly and _quietly_. Think you can manage that?"

"I am not certain... I really, _really_ want to shoot them."

"For the love of... how's your leg?"

"Hurts, but it shall hold. May be a bit slower than usual."

"Stick close to me, we'll get out."

"Yes. I will... G Callen?"

"Yeah, what?"

"Just incase... thank you. Now lets go."


	51. Lying is the Most Fun MR&OC

**Full title of the song is Lying Is The Most Fun A Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off; Oh Panic! At the Disco, you have the best song titles. Hadn't been inspired for these lately, so I started listening to some older playlists from like high school, this came on, and BAM! Hopefully this will get me going again. **

Pairing: Mike Renko/ Angela Mercer

He understands the necessity, he understands the job... it just doesn't make it any easier. He can't help the surge of jealousy whenever he has to put Angela, his partner, his lover into the arms of another man. The rouse had worked though, she had gotten the man to talk before she left him high and dry and returned with her teammates to the Office of Special Projects.

Renko dismissed Cooper and Faraday and both men made off quickly. Cooper had his kid to worry about, and Faraday... well... Renko didn't know much about what the youngest agent on his team did in his off time. Renko waited just outside of wardrobe, and Angela came out after a few minutes back in her usual wear. Blue jeans, plain long sleeved shirt, today it was a pair of washed out boot-cut jeans and a white shirt, her copper hair that had been down on the op was back up in her typical tightly wound strict bun.

Her metallic grey eyes met his pale green ones and they assessed each other. Angela's eyes gazed over him. He hadn't changed from the op, he was still in the black slacks, white collared shirt that had a few of the top buttons undone and a deep grey vest- it was odd to see when she was so use to him being in jeans and t-shirts.

There was an anger in his eyes and she realized what the tension between them was. Jealousy. It happened, and she wasn't innocent in it either. She wasn't a fan when he went undercover and played some woman, touched some woman. Both of them did their best to keep that to themselves though, the other set of partners didn't know about just how close they'd become.

She let out a sigh and stepped toward him, she stayed outside of personal space though as she scanned around. There were still plenty of other agents around, especially considering the hour. "We good, Mike?"

He was quiet for a moment and she frowned at the angry set of his jaw. "Office." He said before turning away from her. She waited a few seconds as he walked with an efficient, slightly angry stride before she followed.

Renko's team's office space was located through winding hallways well off the beaten path. No one accidentally stumbled upon their office, they had to search for it, possibly with a GPS. He liked the quiet, he had a hard enough time concentrating on paperwork without outside distractions. He stepped in and leaned against his desk, Angela coming in a few steps behind.

Since they were alone she invaded his personal space, her hands on his desk as she faced him, pressing against him. "Yes, boss?"

His eyes narrowed at her. He understood the jealousy wasn't really her fault. Still, he couldn't shake the image of their target's hands on her. His hands gripped her hips and pulled her close as his head bowed to capture her lips with his. Her hands ran up his sides around his neck and her fingertips grazed against his scalp before fisted a hand in his hair and dragged him down. She nipped his lip, a little on the hard side and he knew it was her way of scolding him for how he was handling their job.

He was not only the senior agent in their partnership, but the Special Agent in Charge of the team. He needed to have his head in the game, needed to keep the personal aspects away from the job, but it was far easier said than done.

Her lips trailed away from his, light kisses along his jaw line before she placed more along his neck. It wasn't until she had the buttons of his vest and half the ones on his shirt undone before he got past the distraction of her lips and grabbed her hands in his. "We're at work," he managed to get the thought out clearly.

She smirked. "That didn't stop us last Hallowe'en."

He smiled at that. "This is true. But Hetty's around... and I have to return this to wardrobe."

Angela pouted, her eyes playful. "Fine. I'll meet you in the garage... lets go home, Mike," she whispered before she stepped up on her tip-toes to press her lips against his once again. "I don't like leaving things unfinished." She stepped back shot him a grin before she started walking away.

He smirked and leaned away from his desk to watch the sway of her hips as she walked down the hall. As if feeling his eyes on her she looked over her shoulder. "Time's ticking, Michael."

With a grin he left the team's office, she was right, he had much better things to do with his time now that the operation was done. Mostly things done in the bedroom and with far less clothing on.


	52. Madness ? & ?

**Oh yeah, it's time for guess that pairing. No wrong answers here :)**

**Pairing: ?/?**

They're both sitting in the sand. He's sitting upright, his hands behind him keeping his own weight up as well as hers since she's sitting between his legs and leaning back against his chest. The sun was setting, a gentle breeze was blowing. Gulls were crying and waves crashing down. The crisp scent of the ocean is rather relaxing.

She lets out a sigh and a slight shudder runs through her frame. He leans forward wrapping both of his arms around her, his chin resting on her shoulder as he breaths in her scent.

The simplicity of the moment doesn't take away from the importance of it.

Neither feels the need to break the peaceful silence that has fallen. She nuzzles into his neck and places a soft kiss there. He smiles, pulls her closer and catches the grin on her face. They return to watching and listening to the waves enjoying the moment of normalcy, the moment with each other.


	53. Sexy And I Know It OC&OC&Team

Pairing: Ryan Cooper/Kimi Niigata + Team

The copper haired female agent and the tiny operation technicians walked down the hall, Angela's far longer strides shortening to match with Kimi's. They were having a quiet conversation- well.. Kimi wouldn't really classify it as conversation. Angela was teasing, in a far better mood than what was usual. Angela was smiling, had been all morning. Managing a grin from the stoic woman was rare, so this was really throwing Kimi for a loop. Currently, Angela was teasing her about the very sexy Special Agent Ryan Cooper.

"I just don't get it," Angela said with a slight shake of her head as she adjusted the strap of her gym bag over her shoulder. "You guys obviously have a thing for one another."

"Ange-"

"What? Are you saying I'm wrong?"

"That isn't-"

"Come on, you can't tell me you aren't attracted to him," Angela paused a few steps away from the gym doors and looked down at Kimi, her hands on her hips, a haughty expression that just dared Kimi to lie.

"No, no, Ange. Look. W-what I'm saying is..." Kimi stumbled off and bit her lip.

Angela beamed. "Yeah. I read you loud and clear," she responded with a little laugh as she opened the gym doors. "Just... ask him to drinks or something, gosh, no more moon eyes, just do it!"

Kimi let out a bit of a sigh, kept her head down and followed Angela to the womens change rooms. Kimi wasn't much for 'working out' in the agents sense, she used the treadmills or the stationary bikes, occasionally she'd climb the rock wall for fun, or join in a game of basketball with the team.

If Angela hadn't had her all flustered over Cooper, she might have had half the mind to start ribbing the female agent over Renko, then again, most times Kimi tried Angela tactfully changed the conversation direction and before Kimi even realized Angela would pat her shoulder and say something like, 'nice chat,' and then leave before Kimi could redirect the conversation back. Clever woman.

Angela was walking out the door when Kimi came out of one of the smaller changing stalls. She sat down, tied up her purple sneakers and pulled her long dark hair- streak currently an electric blue- up into a ponytail.

Blowing out a breath she left the change room. She took a moment to look around. Kensi and Sierra were on the bikes, talking- both very into the conversation if the hand gestures were any indication, neither paying much attention to their speed or posture. Renko and Angela were on the sparring mats, Renko having his partner in a head lock and Angela doing her damnedest to get out, she watched a moment longer to see Angela kick Renko in the shin and bit his arm.

"That's illegal!" He cried out.

"You had me in a headlock!"

"And I'm training you to get out of it! _Legally!_"

Kimi shook her head, and tore her eyes away, there was a fight brewing there. Her eyes paused on Deeks and Faraday playing one-on-one on the basketball court. The two blonde men in fierce competition. Deeks had sunk the ball and was bragging. _Bad move_, Kimi thought. Noah Faraday didn't take well to taunting, he had a wicked competitive streak.

She found him, where she figured he would be at this hour. Not that she knew his schedule... okay... so she did. He was bench pressing what looked to her to be an unreasonable amount of weight. Cooper was one of those people who actually enjoyed going to the gym.

Kimi had once asked him why he didn't skip a few days, hell a week, or stop pushing for more weight or a better time on the treadmill. He'd given her a smile and responded that there are a million and one things that could go wrong on an op, he wanted to have control over the things that he could. One thing that wasn't going to be a problem was his physical limitations.

She walked over and peered down at him as he lifted the bar once more. "Morning," he managed before lowering the bar once more, it hovering just an inch above his chest.

"Good morning," she responded brightly admiring the view- a girl could look- and it didn't mean anything as Angela kept trying to suggest. Thinking of Angela she looked back over her shoulder just in time to see Renko sweep his leg and knock both of Angela's out from under her. Kimi smiled and Renko appeared to be teasing in which Angela responded with a rude hand gesture.

The cling of metal on metal had her turning back to see Cooper had put the bar back in place and was sitting up, the tight black shirt clinging to his muscular body. "So, how was the shopping trip?" Kimi asked.

Cooper stared at Kimi blankly a second and then sighed. "A nightmare. Who knew that at four she could have her own fashion sense. No Daddy, I don't like that colour. No Dad, that's from the boys section." Kimi laughed and he shook his head. "It's not funny."

Kimi brought up her hand, her index finger and her thumb a little less than an inch a part. "It's a little funny."

Cooper made the same gesture but his fingers nearly touching. "A very little."

"That's cheating!" Both turned to see Faraday with his hands on his hips. "One does not simply run with the ball, Deeks."

"It's a game," Deeks responded tossing the ball hard into Faraday's chest.

"Looks like they could use a ref," Cooper noted with a shake of his head.

"Noah is a terrible loser."

Cooper laughed. "Wouldn't know, I've never beaten him at anything."

"Nothing?"

Cooper raised an eyebrow. "Noah doesn't do things he isn't good at. He perfects things- and then he demolishes you. If you didn't taunt him during game play he won't rub it in your face, but... God help you if you do, you'll be hearing it for a week. "

"Maybe that's just because you're his partner," Kimi wondered out loud.

Cooper shrugged his shoulders. "Wanna play?" He nodded towards the basketball court.

Basketball, or treadmill. Treadmill is kind of boring, but she would get the gossip from the girls. Basketball isn't really her sport, but she would get to play it with Cooper. "Yeah, sure," she found herself saying.

"Kensi, Deeks!" Eric called from the door. "Ops!"

Deeks frowned. "What, no, I'm catching up!"

"Word to the wise, Deeks," Cooper called. "When you're playing Noah, you're never really catching up, he's just saving energy to further embarrass you."

Deeks sighed. "Good game," he said tossing the ball to Faraday and joined Kensi as she was leaving the gym.

"Come on," Cooper said getting up and motioned for Faraday to pass him the ball. "Kimi's on my team."

"Two on one is hardly fair."

"I'll play!" Sierra called she shut down the bike and gave it a quick wipe down.

"Mike, Ange," Cooper called. "You guys want in?"

"Yes," Angela responded right as Renko responded, "No."

"You need to work on your hand to hand," Renko said, hands on his hips.

"And I have, and my back hurts from you laying me out on...it..." she frowned as Renko appeared to be trying not to laugh, it took her an extra few seconds and glared. "Michael!"

"I'll take Renko," Faraday decided.

"Fine, I'll take a lady on each arm," Cooper decided with a smirk throwing his arm over Kimi's shoulders. "Come on Ange, lets kick his ass."

"Happily," Angela responded.

::

It had been a brutal game, the two sets of partners constantly trying to best one another, and while Sierra was good at the game, Kimi was not and ultimately Cooper and Angela couldn't make up for her lack of skills on the court.

After everyone was showered, some went to finish up over-due paperwork, Cooper being caught up found himself up in the ops centre under the gentle blue lights in a chair next to Kimi's. "Sorry about the game," Kimi said. "Not much for basketball."

Cooper gave a casual shrug of his broad shoulders. "Was fun anyways. Besides, I don't really want to hear Faraday whine about losing. As ungracious of a winner he can be, I imagine he'd be completely unsufferable if he lost."

Kimi smiled and shook her head as she finished up her work on the computer and logged off. "So..." she said a little nervously- and perhaps spurred on by Angela's earlier taunting. "Want to get a drink, or something?"

"Can't," he replied on a sigh. "I've got a hot date."

"Oh," Kimi tried not to appear crestfallen.

"Yeah, makin' her dinner, maybe we'll watch a movie, then it's bath time," he said with a grin watching how hard Kimi was trying to keep control. He felt a bit of pity. "And then I'll tuck her into bed and give her a kiss good night. If I'm really lucky, her teddy bear will be there otherwise I'll be stuck searching the house for the next hour for it because Emma won't sleep without it."

Kimi shut her eyes and tried to control her spark of anger. His daughter. He was taunting her. She glared. "That wasn't nice."

"No," he agreed. "It wasn't. Tell you what, I'll make it up to you. Come over to dinner tonight, unfortunately it's mac and cheese, on the plus side, it isn't that crap from the box. The movie is some Tinkerbell movie, sorry, that one's not negotiable. I love that movie." She couldn't help but laugh. "Bath time is also non-negotiable, her sitter takes her to the park and somehow she gets sand all through her hair. I don't understand it."

"Where's Margaret?" Kimi asked referring to Cooper's mother who usually looked after Emma while he was at work.

"Visiting her other grandchildren," he responded. "Which means," he said checking his watch. "I really have to go. This babysitter costs half my damn wages." He was exaggerating, but not by much. "So, what do you say? Join us?"

She smiled and stood. "Well, I wouldn't mind dinner that I don't have to cook... and someone has to help you look for the teddy bear."

"That's the spirit," he responded putting an arm over her shoulder and together they walked out of ops.


	54. Caribou Lou Team

**I always said I wouldn't do a sequel to The Hangover, but I've actually been thinking about it...maybe one day I'll have the time to put the thoughts on paper, but this kind of appeased the desire- just a little. **

Characters: Team- hints of Nallen/Densi (references to the story The Hangover)

Deeks's tongue felt like sand paper, he cringed and lifted his head. "Whahapp'd?" his tongue refused to work properly as his eyes started to focus, the triple vision becoming double. He rubbed his eyes and sat up, his head spinning and he took deep breaths trying not to be sick. He was on the floor, the place was sparse, but there was a couch, one that Sam was sprawled out face down on, snoring loudly, across from the couch was a small stand with a television, a blue moustache taped to it.

He tried to go back to the last thing he remembered. The day came to him in bits and pieces. Morning; he went for a surf, Kensi had met him at the sand line with coffee and donuts. They had sat on the curb to eat their less than nutritional breakfast and get their first hits of caffeine. They drove their separate cars to the office where Callen and Sam had mercilessly teased him about the sand in his hair. Noon; after hours of playing paperwork catch up Eric gave the whistle and they were on the case. Afternoon; stake-out and take-down, flawless. Night? Deeks sat there on the floor for a long minute. _Come on, what happened?_

He heard someone moving around so he got up and followed the noise. He figured if Sam was there and sleeping, they weren't in any danger. It was Nell in the kitchen staring rather blankly into the fridge. He watched her for a minute, every few seconds her body did a little jump- hiccups. She grabbed some orange juice and went right to the cupboard that had the glasses.

"Where are we?" Deeks asked her holding his head, wondering why the kitchen should have so much natural light.

Nell turned to look at him and his mind finally caught up to his vision. She was dressed in a t-shirt- one he was pretty sure he'd seen Callen wearing the day before, and a little pair of shorts that showed off her legs- definitely not what she'd been wearing to the office... so did that mean she had them here. Were they at Nell's? It would make sense, she knew where everything was, seemed very at home, and was dressed in different shorts... wait... what about that shirt again.

"G's place," Nell responded. She stared at the one glass she'd brought down and then turned to Deeks. "Want some?"

"Yeah, sure," anything would be better than the sandpaper taste in his mouth. "So...uh... we're... at Callen's...huh."

"I'm so hungover," Nell complained as she poured glasses. "Looks like you are too."

"I don't remember anything after leaving the office," he admitted and took the offered glass. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," she replied and took a tiny sip of her orange juice. "Well... I remember dinner, we barbequed," she pointed to the patio out the back window and Deeks then remembered the radio playing, Kensi doing a little dance and dragging Nell out on the patchy grass to dance with her. He along with Sam and Callen stood by the barbecue with ice cold beers in their hand. "And then... we all had a shot of... that 151 crap."

"Isn't that how this started last time?" Deeks asked.

"There better not be any explosives here," Nell replied shaking her head, her eyes lingering on the tattoo on Deeks's arm, Kensi- the 'i' dotted with a heart that he'd gotten last time they all got blackout drunk.

"Where is everyone else, Sam's out on the couch," Deeks said.

"G's in his room," Nell responded and caught the little eyebrow wiggle Deeks did. "I haven't seen anyone else... can't say I've really looked though."

"I'll wake Sam, you get Callen," Deeks decided. Nell nodded and set down her glass leaving the kitchen area. Deeks walked back into the living room and noticed that Sam's fingernails were painted a bright coral, a colour he'd seen on Nell's nails before. He snorted. "Hey, Sam! Wake up!"

Sam groaned. "Wha?"

"What do you remember about yesterday?"

Sam opened his eyes and looked up at Deeks. "I... you... what?"

"Come on, I'm going to start a pot of coffee."

Sam rubbed his eyes and noticed his nails. "What the hell?"

Deeks shrugged. "Beats me."

Back in the kitchen, Deeks searched for coffee. "Two to the right," Callen muttered and Deeks followed the directions and found the coffee. Callen was shirtless, the scars that littered his body a shade lighter than the rest of his skin, a pair of jeans hung from his hips. "Where's Kens and Eric?"

"I looked through the house," Nell responded. "I didn't see them."

Deeks saw the look of panic of Callen's face. "Their cars are both still here," he said and noticeably tension drained from the older man. "So... Sam... Callen... what do you guys remember about last night."

Both looked pensive. "The barbecue," Sam responded.

"Caribou Lou," Callen's eye twitched. "Kensi."

"Huh?" Nell raised an eyebrow.

"Caribou Lou, that mixed drink that's pretty much pure alcohol, especially when it's Kensi mixing it. 151 rum, Malibu and pineapple juice." He rubbed his temples. "I'm getting to old for this shit. Twister," he said and then left them to walk to the back door.

"Twister?" Sam asked as Callen opened the back door and they all looked out. Over to the side on an extending patio chair was Eric sprawled out face down, one shoe on, the other no where in sight. On the grass the Twister game, Kensi sprawled out on the square, right hand on red, she was barefoot and both feet were over the edge of the game and on the grass.

"No wonder I feel like I did a yoga class yesterday," Deeks muttered and Nell, Callen and Sam all turned to look at him. He sighed, he hadn't meant to say it out loud.

Deeks and Sam went to wake Kensi and Callen and Nell went to wake Eric. Kensi ended up sick and it felt a bit like karma. "I'm never, ever drinking again," she said once they got her back into the house and set up with a big glass of ice water.

"Yeah, okay princess," Deeks responded disbelievingly.

"So, what happened after Twister?" Sam asked.

"Moustache," Eric responded.

"Moustache?" Sam questioned.

"I remember Moustache," Nell said with a sigh.

"What the hell is moustache?" Callen asked.

"It's a drinking game," Kensi muttered.

"You put a moustache on the television and then you watch a movie, every time the moustache ends up on someone's face, you drink," Nell explained the same way she had the night before.

"What if the person already has a moustache?" Deeks asked.

"Double stache," Eric answered. "Drink twice."

"After moustache?" Sam asked.

"You were already asleep on the couch..." Nell remembered painting his nails in a fit of giggles. She decided it would be smartest not to fess up to that. "Went to bed," Nell decided. "I was snookered."

"_Just_ bed? I'm pretty sure there was a reason I went outside," Kensi said looking over in time to see the young woman flush a bright red.

"From now on," Callen said with an authoritative voice. "Kensi's not allowed to mix out drinks. Ever."

Kensi let out a little sigh. "No arguments here."


	55. Home GC&NJ

**Pairing: G Callen & Nell Jones**

For her the moment came when she stepped over the threshold of his house after a long day at work. Their house now, she supposed. She had yet to unpack everything, and their long hours weren't really helping the matter. Still, this was where she ended up every night. Nell and Callen worked similar hours but on this day she'd stayed late in the blue tinged lighting of the ops centre to help Eric update anti-virus protection on the computers in the centre and the work laptops of the agents.

She had kicked off her shoes and placed them neatly in the closet tucked in between another pair of her own flats and his pair of runners. She slipped her jacket off of her shoulders and hung it up in between her seldom used rain jacket and one of his grey hoodies. "G?" she called out, but spotted a note in the dish that usually held their keys, spare change and occasionally a loose button. She dropped her keys in and pulled out the note.

'_Making spaghetti. Didn't have noodles. Be back soon. -G' _

She chuckled and dropped the note back into the dish. From the scent of the sauce wafting through the house, he hadn't checked to see if he had noodles before he started. She walked down the hallway and into the kitchen area to check. The stove had been turned off, the sauce was done, next to it was a pot of water, she put her hand over it but felt no residual heat.

She stepped out of the kitchen through the side swinging door and walked into the living room. Something was off. Out of the corner of her eye was something new, she turned and stared.

Before her was a book shelf. The wood was stained cherry in colour, stood just a little bit taller than she did. The wood was carved decoratively and she marvelled at the details as she reached out and ran her finger over it. On the shelf was all of her books that had been in boxes in their bedroom for over two weeks. Not only were they all there, but they were alphabetized- exactly how she kept them when she'd been living in her apartment.

The door opened but she didn't have to look over to know who it was. She listened as he put his shoes and jacket into the closet where they would surely commingle with hers. She heard his keys clink against her own. "Nell?" he called out for her and she smiled.

"In here," she called back.

His footsteps were near silent and one arm wrapped around her waist pulling her slightly into him, his other hand held a grocery bag. "What do you think?" he asked her.

"Did you build this?"

"Yeah, I blame Gibbs," she felt the rumble in his chest as he chuckled quietly. "Three years running he's sent me wood working stuff and every Christmas card he tells me to pick up a hobby."

She turned in his arms and kissed him, she'd intended on it just being quick but he pulled her in and she melted into him.

She was _home_.

::

For him the moment happened after a particularly lengthy undercover operation. His team hadn't been the primary, but when the other team had needed someone with a good grip on the Russian language- he'd been first pick. It had really thrown him for a loop to work with another team after working with his for so long.

He rubbed the back of his neck as he shut his car door. The accommodations of the undercover had been less than glamorous... that or maybe the fact that since he'd started seeing Nell seriously outside of work he had been spending more nights in a bed than on his bedroll. Now after a month and a half of her living with him and sharing a bed with her every night he really noticed how uncomfortable floors were.

His feet shuffled lazily along the pathway up to the front of the house as he fussed with his key ring looking for the one to open the house door. It was nearly three in the morning so he fully expected it to be locked. The porch light was on, like he was expected even though he knew that she had no idea he'd be home tonight... he figured she'd left it on every night that week.

It was by this light that he spotted it. The large black cast iron decorative pot- it had been filled with weeds when he had purchased the place, he'd managed to empty the thing but that was about all he'd bothered with. Now it sat proudly filled with flowers. Aster, Lavender, and Salvia Leucantha all made bold purple statements, it was softened and brought together by the blue Catmint- flowers he all knew the name of because Nell had been reading gardening magazines before he left and there wasn't much else to do when his insomnia hit. It was rather pretty and it was a part of Nell that now stood in front of the house he owned.

He smiled and nearly jumped when the door opened. There stood Nell, her hair sticking up at odd angles, full sleeved and pant pajamas in a light purple colour, the pants decorated with blue stars. She smiled at him and ran across the deck in her barefeet and launched herself into his arms, he caught her with a laugh and held her close. "Welcome home, G!" She nuzzled into his neck. The scent of her and the flowers mixed and he held her a little tighter.

Yeah, he was_ home_.


	56. Anything For You KB&MD&NJ

**Pairing: Kensi Blye & Martin Deeks**

Kensi walked barefoot around the house, her hand lovingly placed on her protruding stomach. She was worrying, she tried to keep her stress down but...

"He's going to be fine, Kensi," Nell insisted taking Kensi's arm and leading her from her pacing in the kitchen and sitting her in the living room where they had a board of Scrabble set up. Kensi sighed and chewed on her bottom lip. "Seriously," Nell said with a reassuring smile. "Callen and Sam are both near him, if anything goes wrong on the op, they'll go in. Marty is going to be just fine."

Kensi knew that Nell meant well, and since Nell seemed so relaxed Kensi knew she was overreacting. It was Nell's husband out there protecting hers, if there was something really dangerous going on Nell would be showing her own worry- or be back in ops.

Rubbing her hand over her belly she felt a kick and smiled. It wouldn't be long now. She took a look at her letters and sighed. E, E, R, D, S, K, A. She rearranged them. D,E,E,K,S. She moved the A and R over to the side. Of course that would be the word she found. She rearranged them again and started the game with 'DEAR.'

As the game progressed the board looked a bit like a demented love-letter, words like, 'LOVE' and 'MISSED' and 'HEART.' Both women sighed and looked to the clock.

::

Deeks stepped out of Sam's car, the mission had been a success... mostly. Gosh, Kensi was going to verbally rip him a new one. He gave a wave and limped down the walk way. He knew Nell had stayed with Kensi, her car was still in the driveway. Deeks was grateful, with Kensi nine months pregnant and already overdue he didn't want her alone, and he didn't want to miss his first child being born.

He unlocked the door and stepped in shutting and clicking the deadbolt as quietly as possible. He turned back around to be face to face with a gun, only it wasn't Kensi- who'd he'd expect it from. "Hey Nell," he said wearily.

She quickly lowered her gun and flicked the safety on. "Marty," she reached out and flicked on the overhead light and he winced at the sudden bright light. "Oh my God," she whispered. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good."

"G?"

He'd been dreading this. "He's fine Nell, but-"

"But? Why is there always a but?" Nell whined miserably. "How bad?"

"Looks worse than it is..."

"You're avoiding."

"Bad guy might have broken his arm..."

Nell paled considerably. "How's Sam."

"Completely unharmed, lucky bastard." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Go home Nell, you know you want to check on him."

"No, I'll call. It's not like you can drive like this if Kensi goes into labour."

"I can so drive," Deeks argued... even if Hetty had given him the eye- ordered him to get checked out before driving and then ordered Sam to give him a lift home.

Nell rolled her eyes. "I'm going back to the couch. Go see Kensi. She's been worried about you and that stress can't be good for her.

Since Nell was already walking back to the living room, Deeks decided it was best not to argue. He limped down the hallway and into the bedroom and smiled. In the faint lighting that came through the windows from the street lamps he spotted her laying on her side a pillow between her legs, hugging another one to her chest, and a third under her head.

He stripped down to his boxers and lowered himself to the bed.

"Marty?" Kensi whispered sleepily.

"Hey princess."

"I missed you," he could hear the smile in her voice.

"I missed you more," he admitted. He hated being separated from her for so long, especially since she was so very pregnant. He knew that Callen or Sam would have taken his place had it not been an old alias he'd had to reprise. He reached out and brushed a hand through her hair. "I love you."

"I love you too," she responded in a yawn as she ditched the pillow she'd been holding to her chest and reached out for him instead. "I can't wait for this kid to come. I'm so done with this pregnancy thing."

Deeks smiled as his hand went to her belly and rubbed over it, overjoyed when he felt a good strong kick under his hand. This was his family, and for it he'd do anything.


	57. Christmas EveSarajavo TEAMS

**(Thanks to JET1967 who suggested some Christmas carol inspired stories. I love me some Trans Siberian Orchestra... match made in heaven!)**

_Characters: A very long list, all on the naughty one too. _

It should be a cautionary tale: never get drunk at your office party. It's unprofessional, it's distasteful... but it sure is a heck of a lot of fun.

Their festive merriment was mandatary, no one went against _the _Henrietta Lange after all. They celebrated on the twenty second to avoid plans with family.

It all started with a bottle of Scotch that was older than Nell. Hetty lifted her glass and everyone did the same. "Merry Christmas." There was a quickly recited response and down when the Scotch.

:::

"Hey," Deeks said grabbing Kensi's arm. "Wait."

She shuffled a bit, a few drinks in. "Yeah, what?" Deeks pointed up and she sighed before she looked up. Sure enough they were standing under mistletoe. "Really?"

"Yep," Deeks smiled.

Kensi did her best to keep a straight face, but couldn't quite manage. He took a step in, completely invading her personal space. Her heart quickened as she looked up at him, his eyes clear in intent, but he was taking his time, giving her time to back out- she knew. Throwing caution to the wind she grabbed him by the coat lapels and pulled him down, her lips meeting.

Faraday wolf wistled drawing attention to them, and Renko and Eric started up a slow clap that had nearly all of the office joining in.

Kensi drew back with a bit of a flush to her cheeks, the kiss over too soon for her liking. "Later?" she whispered.

"Later," he agreed.

:::

"Okay, that happened one time!" Sam protested.

"Doesn't make it any less funny," Nate said with a grin.

"What are you boys talking about?" Nell asked as she came over with what had become her signature issue Glock cookies.

Callen took one of the offered cookies and stared at the glittery blue dress Nell was wearing before her took a bite of the cookie. "Sam may have shot a clown."

"In the ass," Nate inserted helpfully.

"I hate clowns," Sam said. "And I thought he was going for a gun."

Callen laughed and washed down the cookie with his rum and egg nog. "Not a gun, a rubber chicken," he told Nell and she tipped her head back as she laughed.

:::

"It's the heels," Angela insisted. "I can hardly even walk in heels."

"Uh-huh," Renko replied with a sarcastic roll of his eyes as he continued to try and dance with his partner who kept stepping on his toes or moving the opposite way.

"These are a mans creation, I'm sure of it. They make a woman's ass and legs look great, definitely a man's idea, but how are you suppose to walk in stilts!" Angela looked down at their feet and nearly lost her balance, her right ankle twisting slightly and Renko pulled her in close to keep her upright.

"How much have you had to drink?" Renko asked. It was nearly midnight and he was pretty snookered himself but she smiled at him and giggled. "A lot, huh?"

She shifted so both of her feet were on his and her grin took on a triumphant edge. "You dance, I'll just hold on so you aren't dancing alone, 'kay?"

He liked holding his partner this close, the scent of her vanilla and ylang ylang shampoo clouded his judgement. He tightened his grip and just nodded as they continued to sway to the music.

:::

"This is a horrible game!" Kensi tried flipping her cup but be damned if she could get the damn thing to stand up right.

Sierra got hers on the first go and quickly chugged down her beer and the line went on to Faraday who managed to get his on the second go.

"Come on, Kens! You're killing us here!" Callen complained as Faraday put down his glass the turn going down the line to Cooper who- like Sierra got his on the first go.

"They're cheating, I know it," Kensi complained as she finally flipped her cup but it was too late. She Callen and Deeks had shots to do for losing.

:::

"Kimi, honey, get down from there."

"You come up here," Kimi insisted as she continued to dance on Sam's desk.

Cooper looked over to Sam and they both turned to look back up at the little drunk technical operator. Cooper grabbed one of the Glock cookies and waved it. "Come on Kimi. I have cookies."

"You have cooties," she replied and apparently found it hilarious because she would have fallen off the desk in a fit of laughter had Sam not caught her. She sobered for about two seconds as she stared up at Sam and then fell right back into hysterics.

Sam set her down and clasped Cooper on the shoulder. "Good luck with that."

"Gee," Cooper responded with a roguish grin. "Thanks."

:::

"Where are we going?" Renko asked.

"Shh," Angela responded. She was carrying the heels that Hetty had put her in. Hetty had dressed everyone up. It was going to be some classy merriment... or at least they'd look classy, apparently you give them enough booze and 'class' goes right out the damn window.

The hallway was darkened since most of the office was shut down for the night. They made their way with the small emergency lights that were always on and had a back up generator for.

She turned and pulled him up against her, her lips against his and he groaned in response putting his hands on his shoulders. "Babe, we're at the office."

Her mouth just went to work on his neck. "Yeah, but no one is going to miss us," she insisted, her words warm against his ear. "Come on, Michael," she pulled him by the tie as her back hit the door for the incinerator room she pushed the door open and pulled him in. "You know you wanna."

Well... he couldn't argue that.

:::

"Come on," Callen insisted. "You're drunk."

"I'm not... what? You're not drunk? I'm so..." Eric hiccuped and swayed. "I'm sober."

"No, you aren't," Sam insisted with a laugh, the elder partners flanking the young tech, guiding him to the holy grail of sleeping places in the OPS centre.. The couch. "Come on, Eric. Get some sleep."

"I am sleepy," Eric agreed and leaned heavily on Sam. "You're awesome, Sam... even if you do scare the crap out of me half the time."

Callen laughed and Sam smirked while shaking his head.

"And you, G, you..." Eric said taking his arm off Sam to point right in Callen's face. "You... you're..." Eric swayed and ended up resting his forehead off of Callen's, Sam snickering the entire time. "You're..." Eric hiccupped again. "You have really, really blue eyes."

Callen cracked right up, howling with laughter that often went unheard.

:::

Eric woke up with black marker on his right arm that read: Nell was here.

Kimi was sick in the bathroom in the early morning, her body purging itself of the alcohol. Cooper held her hair back.

Callen woke in his chair with the worst kink in his neck and a terrible hangover.

Sam jolted awake to the sound of his cell phone, he rubbed his eyes and looked down at it, his wife, he smiled.

Faraday wasn't entirely sure how he ended up in the back end hallway, but he awoke sitting up, and next to him was Sierra, her head resting on his shoulder.

Kensi woke up in Deeks's arms in the filing room... neither remembered the events that brought them there... but Kensi was missing her right shoe and Deeks the suit jacket he'd been wearing.

Nell woke up on the big table in ops, one of the tech guys staring at her with an amused expression.

Renko awoke with a start and looked around. Incinerator room. He realized two things very quickly, one: he was naked, two: so was Angela. A smile came on his face as he nudged her awake.

:::

**Thanks for reading :)**


	58. Faith Noel NG&OC

**((For Ncisbonescovertaffairs who requested that Nate and Delaney get some Christmas themed love))**

_Pairing: Nathaniel Getz/ Delaney Bennett_

A plume of breath escaped Nate's lips and he shivered as he walked down the cleared path to the condo building that Delaney lived in. He wasn't even sure how she had convinced him to come to New York for Christmas. It was freezing cold. There was ice which he'd slipped and on his ass because of, while waiting for a taxi at the airport. He was away from his friends, away from his family, from the piles of work in his office and the days (and nights) he'd been spending there. He wasn't dressed for a New York winter. The deep green long sleeved shirt did nothing to keep the cold away.

His luggage slid out on some ice and nearly threw him off balance. He hurried inside and felt as though he'd never be warm again. His fingers were practically numb as he dialled in her number.

"Nate?" Her voice came through the speaker box, a little bit of static and background noise along with it.

"Yeah," he responded.

"Oh, good! You're here." He could hear the smile, the excitement in her voice. He was no longer wondering how she had convinced him to come, she was who he wanted to spend this holiday with, and frankly he needed a few days firmly away from the office. "Come on up!"

He heard the buzz of the door being unlocked and he went through the now open door. The decision between stairs and elevator was made easy by his suitcase and the fact that she lived on the eleventh floor.

The elevator dinged and he found her standing outside of her condo door. Looking as gorgeous as ever. Her hair was up in a messy bun, a few pieces draping down as they escaped. She was dressed in a pair of grey trousers, her shirt was a mint green, oversized and sheer, a white tank top underneath. "Nathaniel!" her smiled lit up her eyes upon recognition.

Delaney's long stride ate up the space between them and she was tangled up in his arms, her lips greeting his. She backed off before they went to far in the hallway, one of her elderly neighbours had come out, given them a look and gave Delaney a wink. "Good afternoon, Mrs Fields."

"Indeed it is," Mrs Fields agreed as she picked up her newspaper and brought it inside.

Delaney gave her head a little shake and took his hand. "Come on, come on," she dragged him along excitedly. She opened the door and held it for him.

The place was open, spacious. He took off his shoes and lowered the handle on his wheeled suitcase before taking a look around. To the left was a hallway which he figured lead to at least one bedroom and a bathroom. Straight ahead was the living room, her couch and chair were white but were livened up by a lime green knitted blanket, red throw pillows. The coffee table was wood, had two drawers. There was a little circular centerpiece that had spruce, poinsettias and a few white candles sticking up. The television was mounted on the wall and there was a stand nearby that was overflowing with DVD's. By the window was the tree she'd decorated, red ribbon, sparkly purple and blue balls. There were a few presents underneath. On the wall she'd tacked a string and from it hung cards she'd received.

"Nice place," he commented.

She gave a shrug as she turned. "I like it well enough." She lead him into a tiny little kitchen that would probably be a problem for two or more people to try and navigate through. "Coffee, tea, hot chocolate?" she asked. "I've got to get you warmed up."

"I'll have whatever you're having."

"Okay. Make yourself at home. Bedroom is down the hall and to the right if you wanted to rid yourself of your luggage. Bathroom is across the hall."

He gave a nod and carried his luggage to the one bedroom. There were white lights strung up over her light blue curtains. The bed was a queen size, matching blue sheets and a heavy white comforter. A vanity in the corner was made of cherry wood, the edges around the mirror decoratively carved, little drawers down the sides. Shoved between the wood and the mirror was a picture of the two of them during her last visit to Los Angeles, Deeks had been the one to take the picture when neither had been paying attention. They'd been playing pool, Delaney had been lining up her shot when he'd taunted her, she looked up at him with the kind of smirk that told him she'd prove him wrong, and he was smiling right back. He smiled seeing it there where she would look at it every morning.

The room was a good sized but he found that it didn't really seem like her- too modest, too calm. The bedside table matched the vanity, had a generic lamp, a few mystery novels and a picture of her and her brother when the looked to be around five or six under a Christmas tree unwrapping presents. As he was stepping out of the room he noticed above her door was a sprig of mistletoe, and on his way back to her, he noted that all the doorways had one.

He found her still in the kitchen grating dark chocolate over the whipped cream that topped their mugs. She looked over her shoulder and smiled. "Find everything okay?"

"Yeah," he replied.

She passed him a mug and she picked up hers and started to lead him back to the livingroom, but he grabbed her arm lightly and she turned to look over her shoulder at him with her big green eyes.

He pointed up and she followed his gaze to the mistletoe. She smiled. "Well, tradition is tradition."

He drew her close, carefully, both aware that they were carrying a hot beverage. They both smiled right before their lips met and melted like the whipped topping in their mugs. As he drew away he couldn't recall a single reason why he had been apprehensive about coming to her for Christmas.


	59. Better Days NJ&GC

**(For secretxlittlexdarling who requested some Nallen and Densi Christmas love. Nallen down, Densi tomorrow!) **

_Pairing: Nell Jones/ G Callen_

There was nothing quite as lonely as coming home to their empty house. It was something she had done since the beginning of October. Callen was on a special task force, off doing good work, saving lives, protecting their country- that's what she kept telling herself.

She put her keys in the dish by the door. Kicked off her little boots. Hung up her jacket. Let out a sigh.

Nell stood in the doorway of their living room. They didn't have much time do put into interior decorating but it was nice. Bookshelves were nearly overflowing. The television was mounted over the fireplace. The mantel was home to his tea box of memories, to a framed photograph of the team, and one of the two of them kissing under the mistletoe last year.

With the help of Sam she'd gotten the tree set up, and with the assistance of Eric she'd decorated it. With Kensi and Deeks she'd baked and decorated sugar cookies. Each one of them had tried to convince her to spend Christmas with them. It was a nice offer but... Sam had his wife, his kids, his parents, Michelle's parents. Eric had Bethany and they were going to her parents. Kensi and Deeks were going to Vegas to gamble away Christmas and party in the new year. They had their own lives, and she didn't wish to intrude.

Her own family had wanted her to fly home... but the thought was just unbearable. She'd wanted this Christmas with him, this was the first one where they would be living together. Sure he'd shown up bright and early on Christmas morning at her apartment the year before with candy cane hot chocolate... but... this was the one where she had wanted so badly to wake up next to him, the engagement ring on her finger felt heavy, and she worried over him.

Where was he? What was he doing? Was he okay? Was he enjoying the holiday with the task force- she shook her head at the unlikelihood. Was he as lonely as she?

She looked at the presents under the tree. They had been sent from her siblings, her parents. One was from Hetty. Another from Sam, Kensi and Deeks who'd all pitched in. One from Eric and Bethany. None of those boxes had what the only thing she wanted this year.

With a sigh she thought about getting a dog or a cat... or maybe start small with a goldfish that could keep her company when Callen was undercover.

She stared at the tree but didn't bother to turn the lights on. Tomorrow morning she'd wake up alone and it hurt.

::

She woke at seven, which was pretty much sleeping in. She realized that something had actually woken her though. Another three swift knocks on the door.

Dread clenched painfully in her stomach.

Who would come to her house on Christmas? Her heart beat rapidly, what if it was someone coming to inform her that Callen was missing... or dead. She forced herself to calm down, to take a deep breath. She grabbed her blue housecoat on over her pajamas.

Another three knocks.

She opened the door and her mouth dropped a little, her eyes pricked with tears. "G!"

Cheekily he'd put a bow on his head and, it covered the bandage from a hit he'd taken. "Merry Christmas, Nell."

Tears of joy spilled from her eyes as she embraced him, holding him tight. "Merry Christmas, G." She looked up at him. "Why didn't you just let yourself in?"

"My keys are in my desk at the office... I just wanted to see you."

She smiled and his thumbs wiped away her tears. That Christmas she got exactly what she wanted.


	60. Carol Of The Bells MD&KB

**(Last one for Christmas, probably won't get around to updating this 'til after the holidays)**

_Pairing: Martin Deeks/ Kensi Blye_

Deeks was more than content to be on a little stay-cation. Christmas Eve, Christmas day and the three days after Hetty had given him and his wife off of work so they could spend the holidays with their little girl, Sophia.

The three of them were currently at the kitchen table decorating cookies for Christmas.

"Look!" Sophia held up the sugar cookie she'd decorated in red icing. "It's for Santa!"

"I'm sure he will just love it," Deeks replied with a smile.

Sophia had his eyes, which sharply contrasted with the dark waves that she'd inherited from Kensi. She was small and wearing pajamas that had little gift boxes all over them.

Sophia nodded. "It's red. Like rudo-olophs nose." She made a face at the reindeer's name and then picked up the blue icing tube and started to squeeze it onto the next cookie.

Kensi smiled over at her husband. He held up the cookie he'd been decorating. The double 'W' symbol of Wonder Woman. She laughed and shook her head.

"What?" Sophia didn't want to be left out and Deeks turned the cookie.

"Wonder Woman!" Sophia had inherited her parents love of comic books. "I love Wonder Woman, she's awesome!"

With a look to the clock Kensi then turned to their daughter. "Soph, it's time for bed."

"Bed? No!"

"But Sophia," Deeks interrupted before her tantrum could get started. "If you don't go to bed than Santa can't come! He runs on sleep magic."

"Sleep magic?" Sophia raised an eyebrow and they blamed the look on spending too much time with her Auntie Hetty.

"Yeah," Deeks said picking up his baby girl and holding her close. "You see," he started his tale as he walked her out of the kitchen. "When Santa stops at a house he refuels on the sleepiness of those inside. So if everyone is sound asleep than Santa can keep delivering presents, but if everyone is awake he has to keep going or he won't be able to get all the way around the world!"

Sophia gave a serious nod. "You and Mommy have to go to sleep then too!"

"We are," Deeks replied pulling back the blankets and setting his daughter on the bed. She laid down quickly and grabbed her little stuffed yellow bunny that had been a gift from Callen and Nell. "Good night, Sophia."

"Good night, Daddy!"

He kissed the top of her head and stepped back. Kensi took his place and kissed her cheek. "Good night, my baby girl."

"Night, night, Momma! Now go to sleep!"

"Okay, okay, I am," Kensi laughed as she turned on the little night light before she clicked off the big light in the room. She closed the door behind her and looked to her husband. Deeks smiled and gave her a quick kiss. "Come on, Romeo, lets go clean up the kitchen."

"I can still think of a few things to do with that icing, Fern."

She shot him a cool look but she couldn't help the smile that formed right after.

::

**Thanks for reading :)**


	61. Blood of Cuchulainn MD&MR&GC&ZN&OC&OC

Characters: Mike Renko, Martin Deeks, G Callen, Zaki Nassir, Noah Faraday

There was something about Irish music that made Renko want a beer, or several. Deeks had been on a kick of the stuff and no one in the office had been able to escape it.

"If you don't turn that off right now," Kensi let the threat hang but it did nothing to Deeks who had his feet up on his desk.

"How can you not like this stuff?" Deeks asked.

Kensi rolled her eyes. "I've heard the damn song eighteen times today! Enough is enough!"

"Come on," Renko protested on Deeks's behalf. "Who doesn't love 'Kiss me, I'm Shitfaced." Renko laughed outside of the bullpen.

Kensi responded by flipping Renko off.

Renko took it in stride and simply smiled at her. "Anyone up for a pint?"

"I'm in," Deeks said grabbing his bag for the night.

"Not a chance," Kensi responded. "I want to go home. Spend a few hours away from this clown before I have to come back tomorrow."

"Aw, come on Kens, don't be like that," Deeks protested.

::

As it turned out they ended up getting Eric in, Callen too, Nassir joined them and so did Faraday. Cooper and Sam both had to get home to their families. The girls had decided that this was one drunk-fest they wanted no part of.

They ended up at a local Irish pub of Deeks's choosing. They ate nachos and chicken wings, drank beer and did shots of whiskey. There was laughter and intense conversations over what football team was going to win on Saturday's game. A few songs lead into drunken sing-alongs. Faraday got hit on by some young tart in a low scooped shirt and in his inebriated state he couldn't help but stare which had the guys snickering. The woman dragged him off to the dance floor and Deeks started hitting on the girl at the next table getting her up to dance and only when he stood did he realize how drunk he was, two left feet didn't even begin to describe how awful his co-ordination had become.

"Too bad the ladies hadn't joined us," Renko thought out loud. "Or like... Coop or Sam... someone needs to not be so drunk."

That was the truth of it, they were all in the bag.

::

Advil.

They all wished they had one.

The guys came back into the office the next day, dressed and showered at their own homes after taking cabs home, but they shambled more than walked and could hardly keep their eyes open.

Nassir had puked in Hetty's potted plant. Everyone was nervous around Hetty now.

Eric and Deeks were looking a little green and kept a constant eye on nearby waste bins- just incase.

Callen was trying to sleep it off on his desk and Kensi was slowly drawing a red mustache on his face with washable marker trying not to giggle in fear of waking him.

Renko and Faraday were both nursing vicious headaches, and Cooper, Angela and Kimi responded by speaking as loud as they could while keeping conversation.


	62. One More Night SH&JK&MH

**Okay, seriously, what were the odds that I'd get the mysterious 'Mrs Hanna's' first name right? And now how do I distinguish wether I mean my Michelle, vs canon Michelle. For this story it doesn't actually make any difference, this was just something that came to mind, super short, but hey, I've put all my NCIS:LA brainpower into Snippets :P**

_Characters: Sam Hanna/ Jada Khaled/ Michelle Hanna _

There were operations that put Sam Hanna into compromising situations.

There were aliases that crossed the line between what he perceived as right and moral.

There were nights were the difference between his alias and his identity were compromised.

There were moments where his heart ached but he wasn't sure whether it was for Jada or Michelle.

The hands in his were warm, soft and dainty. Jada's.

The voice he heard in his ear was like smoke, mysteriously attracting. Michelle's.

His jolted awake with the feeling of falling down stairs. His eyes opened and he looked to the clock on the night stand. Two am. He was home, in his own bed, Michelle sleeping next to him.

His heart raced the dream further pulling him in two separate directions.

He fiddled with the wedding band on his finger. The entire operation had put his loyalty, his faithfulness to the test and he wasn't sure wether he was passing or failing.

::

_Thanks for reading :) _


	63. It Will Rain GC&NJ

**((Thanks to punkyredhead for the song suggestion/couple, I think this one turned out to be one of my favourites... enjoy))**

Pairing: G Callen & Nell Jones

There was something awful about the emptiness of his house now. Her books were gone from the shelves. The throw pillows were missing from the couch. The pictures of them were gone from the mantle. The teacups with the big floral patterns were gone from the cupboards. In the bedroom the scent of her perfume still lingered like a haunting memory that cut through his soul in a profound way.

He showered, dried off, dressed. He stared at the entranceway, his little table with a drawer for bills was still there, but gone was the orange and red swirled decorative bowl from the top which had always heal their keys. Now his lay alone on the woodgrain.

The office didn't help. There was tension between him and everyone else.

They understood the job... they even understood his actions. At the same time... they realized why she had to break it off, why she had to leave.

Eric appeared on the balcony, he didn't whistle and gone was the eager expression he always had. He just seemed sad as he called them up monotonously.

He left work. He drove home. He sat in his chair in the room that no longer held the life they shared, it was a hollow, empty shell. There was no noise coming from the kitchen. No music playing on the radio. No footsteps. No laughter. He ran his hands over his head and in a split second was on his feet that took him across the room. Shoes on. Jacket in hand. Keys in his pocket.

There was no sleep to find on the red eye flight. No peace of mind. His gut churned. His heart pounded. Guilt. Nerves.

No luggage to pick up, he grabbed the first taxi. It was nearly midnight. Inappropriate timing. If he had been thinking, maybe he would have gotten a hotel. Maybe he would have turned around and gone back to the airport, she'd made it abundantly clear that she didn't want to see him anymore.

He passed the driver a couple of bills and stood out on the sidewalk as the rearview lights turned the corner. He stared at the big house he knew belonged to her parents. To hell with logic, he walked across the lawn to get caught up as the sprinklers turned on and proceeded to soak him. He cursed and moved quickly, but his clothing was drenched.

Three loud knocks. The door opened. "Gregory?" Susan, Nell's mother answered the door. She looked surprised and then her look hardened and he wondered just what Nell had told her mother.

"I need to see her," Callen insisted. _"Please." _

"No, no you don't," she poked him hard in the chest. "You hurt her, Greg! You cheated on her."

"Mom?" Nell stood a few feet behind. "G, what are you doing here?"

Susan wasn't a tall woman and Callen could look over her to see Nell. She looked beautiful as always, her hair was a little messy, and she was in a pair of blue and white pajamas that suggested she'd been in bed.

"G," Nell said again. "What are you doing here?"

That was the question, wasn't it? He hadn't thought about it, instead acting on instinct and impulse. Maybe it was the wrong move, but it was one he needed to make. "Please," he said softly. "Nell... come home."

"No," the answer was quick, absolute.

"Nell."

"She said no," Susan said trying to shut the door but Callen had just flown on a red-eyed flight to get here, he wasn't leaving until he'd said his peace.

He stepped in and Susan looked angry. "It's okay, mom," Nell insisted. "Go back to bed. I'll deal with it."

"Honey," Susan said going to stand with her daughter, putting an arm of solidarity over her. "Not a chance."

"Nell, I get it, I get the job, I get that it can't be easy, and I'm sorry I hid it."

"You cheated on her," Susan's voice loud and angry.

Callen never took his eyes off Nell. "But I love you. I love you so much."

"If you loved her you wouldn't hav-"

"I'm an undercover agent."

"G!" Nell's eyes went large and she shook her head leaving the comfort of her mother's arm. "What are you doing?" she asked under her breath. "You're burning yourself!" She turned to her mother who looked shocked. "Mom, please, give us a minute?"

Susan looked between her daughter and Callen, finally she nodded. "I'll be right down the hall... along with your father and a _shotgun_," her eyes cut to Callen dangerously before she walked off.

"I don't care, it doesn't matter, none of it matters without you," his hands framed her face and the simple feel of her after so many weeks alone nearly brought him to tears. "I thought it would be better to hide from you the operation, the entire case, Helena was my way in, our only shot at stopping that cartel from coming into California. I thought I could keep it under wraps. Keep it away from you."

"That's the problem, G!" Nell pushed his hands away, tears welling in her eyes. "You hid it!"

"What do you want from me? There isn't a guide for this kind of thing, Nell!"

"How about some honesty?" Nell snapped back.

"I didn't sleep with her," he said and Nell closed her eyes to the words. "I kissed her and it... fucking made me sick because I kept thinking about you and it had my stomach in knots. And I didn't want you to see it. I didn't want you to know, and I hate myself for doing it."

"You had too," she whispered, her face in a pained grimace. "_It's the job_." And that was the problem with them. The job. That damn job that tore them apart, shredded them until there was nothing but raw flesh and broken spirits.

"I can't keep living in that house without you," he said taking tentative steps toward her. "I can't keep going to work without you there. I can't keep doing this anymore." She could hear the pain in his voice and it cut right through to her heart. "I can't, not without you. You're that _one_ fucking thing in my life Nell, that one thing I can't lose. Please, Nell, please." He didn't care if he was begging, he'd get down on his knees if he had to, grovel if it would work. "I'll hand in my badge, my gun. I'll work... wherever, I'll give it up Nell."

"It's you life."

"_You're_ my life."

Tears fell from her hazel eyes and his thumbs were there, brushing them away.

"Nell," he whispered softly. "Please. Please, just come home."

"No more lies," she said looking up at him, her eyes glossy with tears. "I need to know everything. I need to, G. I love you... for you, gun, badge... I can deal with the aliases... I can deal with the job... I can't handle you hiding things from me, lying to me, not trusting me enough to tell me what is going on."

He nodded and she closed the space between them, her arms wrapping around his torso she found what she'd been looking for when she'd flown back to her parents house. She found comfort, found strength, protection... she found home again. His arms wrapped around her tightly. His forehead bowing to touch hers and when their lips touched in slow, needy kisses the tension, the fear- it all washed away and they fell back into the sanctuary of their love.

::

**Thanks for reading :) **


	64. Bedroom Hymns ? & ?

**That's right, time for guess that couple ;) There isn't a wrong answer!**

**Pairing: ? & ?**

**Song Title: Bedroom Hymns**

She is going to hell. She's positively sure of it. Lusting like this is surely a sin, and it's one she indulges in with a smile on her face.

The look they share across the room is heated. It's just a glance. Just a meeting of eyes and it has a shiver sitting at the base of her spine but she steels herself from it. She tells herself that she is made of sterner stuff, but the fact is, is that a single look from him has her weak in the knees.

When he bumps into her in the office, she's pretty sure it's on purpose. They stand there a moment, he's solid, and the scent of his cologne has her mind wandering. His voice rumbles with a low, apology but she knows from the little smirk on his face that he's not actually sorry for anything.

And that's okay, because she's not sorry either. Not for the way she brushes past him, her fingertips dancing over the edge of his jeans in a teasing manner. She shouldn't but she can't seem to help it. She wants to touch, to taste, to feel his skin against hers.

It's _maddening_.

The deep seeded** need**.

The clawing _**desperation**_.

She needs his touch like she needs her next breath. She stands close enough to him during briefing that she can feel the heat off his skin. Standing so close, denied the pleasure of touch seems to be a form of torture. She tries to keep focussed, but all she can feel is the phantom touches, she can taste his lips upon hers.

The work day seems too long. _Painfully _dragged out. She feels more awake now that it's over. More alert. She feels like a child on Christmas morning, and it's stupid, it's ridiculous. She wishes for composure but can't find.

Not as they walk through the parking garage.

Not when there is no one else around.

Not when he's got a hand on her wrist, and another on her hip.

He slowly backs her into the side of her car. The vehicle is cold against her back, but his body is warmly pressing against her, trapping her there. She tells herself she could get out if she wanted to, but she doesn't, she doesn't want to escape the heat of his body, the_ absolute possession _he has over her.

His lips are hovering over hers and she's needy. She's up on her tiptoes, the length of her body grazing against his as she tries to close the space but he denies her at the last moment. The smile on his face is teasing, and her hand clenches in his shirt.

"Home."

Home. Their home. There is one word that is even more appealing.

"_Bedroom_," he whispers against her ear and she smiles.

::

**Thanks for reading :)**

_So, I'm curious, who did you read it as?_


	65. Who's Going Home With You Tonight OC&OC

Pairing: Noah Faraday/ Sierra Sicotti

"Well if anyone should know where Noah is, I figured it would be you," Sierra snapped.

Cooper shook his head. He'd been denying knowing the whereabouts of his partner. "Just let him be tonight."

"He has been undercover as some horrible alias for the past three months. I _need _to see that he is okay," Sierra responded folding her arms over his chest. It was dirty play but she knew Cooper long enough to know that if he really knew where Faraday was, playing the vulnerable card was the quickest way to get what she wanted.

Cooper sighed and ran a hand through his long, unruly dark waves. "The Empty Bottle."

"What?"

"The bar. It's called The Empty Bottle."

Sierra figured he might have gone to a dive bar, the man had a near encyclopaedic knowledge of all the ones in the area from various undercover missions. "Thank you, Ryan."

"I'll go with yo-"

"I'm going alone."

"Sierra."

"Ry, I've got this. I'll be okay."

"It's not a good neighbourhood. Not by a long shot."

"I know," she pulled out a Colt Revolver. "I'll be fine."

Cooper sighed and nodded. "Okay, be safe."

::

Saying that The Empty Bottle was a dive was almost giving it too much credit. She was glad that she was she'd just worn her jeans and a plain white button up shirt, even with such simple attire, she stood out among the leather jackets, dirty jeans, there was a group of girls in remarkably short skirts, tops nearly busting open, there were a few bikers wearing their kuttes in the corner, a mohawked man nearly knocked her over as he stormed by.

She scanned the area more thoroughly, Cooper wouldn't have sent her to the wrong bar. Noah Faraday had to be there, she just hadn't spotted him yet. She thought like an agent, even though it had been a long time since she'd been one. She knew Faraday. She turned and walked closer to the bar and looked at the patrons sitting along the wall and in the darkest corner she found him.

He was sitting on one chair, his feet propped up on the other and she assumed this was a pretty good way to tell others that he didn't want company. There were four empty shot glasses on the table and she watched a waitress walk up with a smile on her face. She took the empty glasses and put another row of four down. She leaned down with the bowl of limes and whispered something to him.

She had never been scared of Faraday, he was a sweet guy, he wore suits, he did his best to make the world a better place... but in the bar he was dressed in jeans, a plain grey t-shirt and a black leather jacket, his blonde hair was a bit of a mess and the dark, dangerous look he shot the waitress had her backing up a step as she set the limes down and quickly left. That look... it kind of scared her.

He ignored the limes as he took two of the shots in quick succession. He seemed completely unbothered by the taste or alcoholic content. Frankly, she had never seen him look so angry ever.

She walked up and put her hands on the back of the chair where his feet were crossed at the ankles. "This seat taken."

"What do you think?" He growled, not looking at her. He took the third shot, then the fourth and waved the waitress back over.

"Noah," she whispered softly and that had him looking up. His eyes were bloodshot, she knew whatever the case had been, it hadn't been easy.

"Shit," he muttered. "What the hell are you doing here?"

The waitress quickly grabbed the glasses and put down another four shots before leaving.

"I... I came to check on you."

"I'm fine."

"I can see that," she replied dryly as he took another shot. She wondered just how much he could take.

"You should leave," he told her before knocking back the next shot in the line and slamming it down on the table.

"Okay, I will," she replied. "Come with me. Let me drive you home."

He gave a grin, but it wasn't right, it was dark and made her shiver. "The night is young," he told her before knocking back another shot. She pulled the chair and his feet dropped like stones and she took the seat they once occupied. Since he wasn't sitting directly behind the table and he'd had the other chair set up on an angle when he sat up and leaned forward there was no table between him and her. "That wasn't very nice, _Sierra_."

"Deal with it. You're piss drunk, they shouldn't even be serving you anymore."

"Go home."

"No."

He took the last shot and went to wave for another round but without thinking she grabbed his arm. "You're going to get a ticket to the hospital if you keep it up." She wasn't even sure he didn't already in need of one.

It took a second but he turned to look at her fingers wrapped around his wrist. His eyes turned to her slowly and every instinct was shouting, 'danger!' She let go and he leaned back and assessed her cooly.

This wasn't Noah. Not her Noah. She wondered if this was what he'd behaved like over the past few months while undercover, if this was his alias that the drink wasn't helping him shed. Or... was this just Noah when he was well and truly piss drunk.

His eyes shifted from her, it was a quick, sudden thing and the look simply got darker and more intimidating.

"Hey there sweetheart," one of the men, tall, dark hair, leather jacket, jeans and a t-shirt guy said, both hands on her shoulders and it was gut instinct that had her out of her chair. Before she could turn around and say anything Noah had flown out of his seat, past her and connected with a solid punch to the guy's face.

And he didn't stop.

"Noah!" She screamed at him as the bouncers came over. It took three of them to pull Noah off and they started dragging him off. She was torn for a moment. Stood there in absolute shock. Noah wasn't violent... right?

She turned to the guy on the floor, one of the waitresses attending to him. He caught her eye and held something up. A familiar looking wallet. She checked her back pockets. No wallet. Shit. She knelt down. "Thank you," she said taking it back. "I'm so sorry about this."

"I can take the punches, sweetheart." He looked to the swinging door where the bouncers had dragged Faraday through. "Can you?"

She understood that he thought they were together... that Faraday hit her. "He's... he's had a bad day."

The man shook his head. "Man flies off the handle like that... it's just simmering under the surface."

::

She had the bouncers direct her to the back alley. None of the three men looked happy about her going out there but they didn't try and stop her either. She pushed open the door to hear retching. She found Noah, his hand on a dumpster for balance as his system had clearly had enough of the alcohol.

He cursed, stepped away from the dumpster and seemed to try and be orienting himself in his new surroundings.

"You okay?"

He turned slowly to look at her. He said nothing as he walked over to her, and while there was still the dangerous edge, his eyes not quite right, he seemed calmer than he had even before he started the fight. He enveloped her in his arms and she tensed. "_Please," _He asked softly. "Just for now."

She fought instinct to push away, her eyes closed her breathing was uneven but she understood what he was asking of her. Some form of comfort. Her arms wrapped around him and she held him tightly.

"Don't go."

His voice was so small and his body seemed to now lack the strength, the danger than it did just moments before. When she thought about what she knew about Noah, it was little. Nothing before his time coming to NCIS. She asked but he deflected.

"I'm right here," she promised. He had seen her through the worst event of her life. She could be there for him right now.

He held her a little tighter but it didn't cause her to be afraid. "Come on. You can stay with me tonight," she offered quietly and she felt him nod before he let her go. She took his hand in her own and lead him out of the dark alleyway.

::

**Thanks for reading :)**


	66. Shake It Out MD&KB

They'd been a secret for so long that it was second nature for them to pretend to just be partners while they were out. Deny, refocus the conversation else where, insult one another, dance with someone else. It was easier that way. No one looked too close, and that's how they preferred it.

Kensi's hips swayed in tune with that of another man.

Deeks flirted shamelessly with the woman at the next table.

Their friends, their colleagues took this as the norm and thus didn't look closer at their relationship.

'_We're just partners.' _

'_What? Deeks? I have standards.' _

'_Kensi? No, are you kidding, look at her, talk about high- maintenance.'_

They'd become flawless in their ability to pretend to be just partners while out at team functions or while they were at work. No one needed to know. When they went home, they went home together- to whoever's house they so chose. When they wanted to take a walk along the beach, they slept over at Deeks's place. When they were tired after a long day at work, they went to Kensi's which was closer to the office.

Deeks didn't mind it when Kensi danced with someone else. He wasn't jealous- she came home with him every night. Still, there were times were it got under his skin only because he couldn't dance with her, not without having it questioned. He watched on as Callen got up and left the table to get another round of drinks for everyone. Deeks hardly even noticed, all he could focus on was the man's hands sliding up Kensi's body, she kept pushing them back down and he could see the annoyance on her face.

Kensi turned, her dark eyes giving him a beseeching look. They worked together, they lived together, they could communicate without the words and it served them well. He stood and left the table entirely aware that the eyes of his teammates were on his back.

"Mind if I cut in?" he asked.

"Yeah, I do," the guy responded. "We're having a good time here."

Deeks looked at his feet, a little grin on his face as he shook his head. "Look, I wasn't asking you. I was asking my girlfriend."

The man looked at them disbelievingly. "He's so full of shit," he whispered against Kensi's ear and she made a rather disgusted face.

Despite being the one to push the 'lets keep this on the down-low' Kensi didn't like it. She wanted to be able to remain Deeks's partner, but when partners became lovers they usually got broken up onto different teams. There were times where she wanted to just deck a woman who would drape herself all over Deeks. There were times where she wanted to just dance with her partner and not have it questioned.

And then there were times like this where their love was questioned. It was rare but it happened and it twisted her up.

"I am with him," Kensi said grabbing Deeks by the shirt as if to ensure he didn't leave her here at the hands of some drunken man with wandering hands. She tried not to use excessive force unless on the job and it was called for. This was not one of those times where she could justify an elbow to the nose.

The guy scoffed disbelievingly but let her go.

It was stupid and it was reckless, but she knew it would put an end to their love being questioned. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him square on the lips. Deeks was taken back but she could feel his lips smirk, just slightly as he pulled her closer, his hand wound in her hair as he kissed her back.

There was whistling from some rowdy drunks and they pulled away, both of them slowly looked over to the table where Callen had returned with drinks and he had an eyebrow raised, Nell and Eric were smiling, Sam was shaking his head as they walked back.

"I didn't see a thing," Callen said.

"Must have missed something good too," Sam followed along. "All that whistling..."

"What a shame," Nell said.

"A pity," Eric ended off.

They smiled, took their seats at opposite ends of the table and resumed their game of pretending not to be hopelessly, madly in love.

::

**Thanks for reading :) **


	67. Hot In Here MR&OC

**I know, I know, it's been a while! Music hasn't been inspiring me lately. I heard this song on the radio- burst out laughing. Over a decade since this song came out, still makes me laugh, had to do something with it. This isn't the idea I had at first, the story just kind of went rogue on me**.

::

There are bad ideas and then there are _bad ideas_. Sometimes, it's hard to know the difference until you realize the consequences.

His stomach felt queasy and his head ached, definitely had a hangover. He cursed and sat up slowly. With his feet over the edge of the bed he waited for his eyes to adjust to the low lighting of the bedroom. Breathing deep he tried to figure out whether or not he'd be sick. Ultimately, he decided that he wouldn't be.

Standing, the room tilted slightly before righting itself. He tried to sort the night before. He'd been working, and sometimes working led to drinking, and drinking led to hangovers. He had to drink with one of the men of the cartel, after the first bar they went to a club. He didn't remember anything beyond getting into the club.

He took stock of what he knew now. One, he stood in the guestroom at Angela's place, a room he considered privately to be his own despite the fact that they didn't live together. Two, he had no idea how he got there. Three, he knew without question that regardless of what happened last night, he was safe.

He quickly used the washroom. While washing his hands he realized that he only had on a pair of boxers, and while uncertain, he remained fairly certain they weren't the ones he'd been wearing the previous day. Usually when he got drunk and went to bed he slept fully clothed. Getting undressed became a near impossible feat when intoxicated.

For decency's sake, he pulled on a pair of well-worn jeans. He thought about putting on a shirt but felt a little feverish from the drink and decided against it.

He found Angela sitting in the kitchen reading the newspaper. Sugar ran over to him, her tail thumping happily against the floor as she sat in front of him and nudged his hand with her nose until he pet her.

Angela's cool grey eyes turned to him. "Advil is in the cupboard with the glasses," she told him.

"Thanks," Renko replied walking over. He retrieved to Advil and a glass of water that he used to swallow the pills down. "So…"

She smiled a little mischievously. "So?"

"So," Renko shifted slightly in his stance, uncomfortable under her stare. "So what the heck happened last night?"

"You got into a bit of trouble at the club," Angela replied. She became momentarily distracted when Sugar came over to her and nudged her hand. "I had to step in."

"What kind of trouble?"

"The more you drank, the bigger and wilder your fibs became. You were starting to lose credibility."

"What did I say?" he asked coming around to sit beside her on one of the stools.

"Well, at first you started bragging about your job and the in you had with arms dealers. Then you started talking about your Lamborghini- meanwhile you had a Chevy for the cover," Angela shook her head. "At that point Faraday is calling Sierra trying to wrangle the Lambo and Cooper kind of wants to walk in and smack you but then you made it even worse."

He cringed. "What did I do?"

"You started talking about your girlfriend. 'Smokin' hot', you said. Didn't give them time to ask you just kept going on and on. 'Red hair,' you said, 'long and wavy.'"

Renko breathed in deeply and held it for a second. His aching head started to go back and with Angela's prompts he could start to remember. "Tall, trim, legs that go on for miles," Renko muttered.

"And the kicker," Angela continued sounding amused.

"Smells like vanilla and Ylang Ylang," they said together.

"Now, at this point both Ryan and Noah are looking at me with their suspicious eyes. Sierra's broken every speed limit along the way to bring the car and as per Cooper's request, a dress from wardrobe which I had to change into in the back of a van."

The dress, he suddenly remembered with vivid clarity. Deep green, satin, long sleeves but a neckline that left her pale, freckled shoulders exposed. It barely had covered her and she'd fidgeted with the hemline. She had come over with the keys and dangled them before his eyes. "Thanks for letting me use the car, Honey," her voice had been as smooth as the dress he felt as she brushed up against him.

"While they wanted to keep us there," Angela continued. "I insisted taking you home since you'd drank too much."

With the prompt he grinned. "No, that isn't what happened. You feigned desperately needing sex and insisting I came home with you t-"

"I'll leave you in the wolves next time," she eyed him in warning but they both knew exactly what she had said and he kept on smiling.

There are bad ideas and then there are _bad ideas_. Sometimes, Renko thought as he remembered that dress and the quick kisses that they had shared on their way up to the apartment, that what seems like a bad idea really becomes a good idea when it comes down to the consequences.

Still fuzzy he looked over at her. "Did we…"

"No," she replied. "I did help you out of your clothes though, you got stuck inside of your shirt," she pressed her lips together in effort not to laugh but her lips tilted upwards. "You're also the one who dropped your boxers. I threw you new ones and walked out. If you didn't manage to get into them on your own, that wasn't my problem."

"It was hot last night," Renko commented.

Angela just rolled her eyes.


End file.
